HIEDA/BSA – The challenge of adolescence

• Date: February 04, 2025
• Time: 10:30 – 12:30
• Cost: HIEDA/BSA Member Rate: £135, Non-member Rate: £270*
• Audience: All Boarding staff  and those who wish to have an understanding of teenagers brain development and the impact of these changes on their mental health, learning and relationships
• Platform: Zoom (online) – half day seminar

Course outline:

We know that, other than during the first three years of life, the brain goes through the biggest change in its development during adolescence. This is a critical time in teens’ lives and as adults, we have a crucial role to play in supporting them to develop into healthy successful adults.

This workshop combines the latest understanding of neuroscience and developmental psychology with practical strategies to help attendees understand the changes teenagers are going through, and what adults can do to support them.

Training topics will include:

The session covers the main changes in the brain during the teenage years:

• Hormones
• Risky behaviour
• The social brain
• Sleep
• The role of adults in supporting healthy brain development

Learning outcomes:

• To have a better understanding of the developmental changes in the teenage brain
• To explore the links with these changes and the vulnerability to developing mental health issues.
• Practical, evidence based strategies to support healthy brain development.
• To understand the importance of relationships in a healthy boarding environment.

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Speaker:

Lisa Thomson, Charlie Waller Trust

Lisa has had a long career in a variety of Mental Health settings within the NHS. She originally trained as a Mental Health Nurse in 1990 and subsequently worked in inpatient and community settings with adults, children, young people and their families. She completed a Masters in Family and Systemic Psychotherapy at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust and a post graduate diploma in Evidence Based Practice leading to qualifying as a Cognitive Behavioural Psychotherapist. Most of her career has been spent working directly with children, young people and families in NHS CAMHS and she now works part time in independent clinical practice. In addition, she works as a freelance trainer for the Charlie Waller Trust delivering training on Mental Health Issues to schools, primary care and a wide variety of organisations working with children and young people. As part of a nonprofit organisation called Brighter Futures Together, she trains NHS CAMHS clinicians to deliver evidence based training to the children’s workforce across the Thames Valley and the South of England.