Almost all mental health professionals, regardless of their work settings, will at some point in their career encounter child abuse or neglect situations. By law, mental health professionals are mandated to report suspected child abuse and neglect. There is a wide range of issues pertaining to child abuse/neglect intervention, which includes identification, assessment, reporting, and treatment. For these reasons, it is critical that mental health professionals be informed about the principles and strategies helpful in these areas.

In five sections this course covers historical perspective, an overview, four types of child abuse, therapist's responses (including reporting, assessment, and therapy), and issues of countertransference.

At the completion of this course participants will be able to:
1. Identify and clinically assess for the four types of child abuse: physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse and neglect.
2. Utilize appropriate methods and skills for counseling children and their families in cases of child abuse and neglect.
3. Identify and apply legal and ethical considerations with regard to mandated reporting duties for suspected child abuse and neglect.
4. Demonstrate knowledge about treatment issues and specialized interventions for specific intrapersonal, interpersonal, and developmental issues associated with child abuse.
5. Recognize countertransferential reactions with cases of child abuse and how to obtain appropriate professional guidance and support.

Presented by Andrew Teton, MA, MFT

Andrew received his Masters in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University, Santa Barbara, and has also participated in the Hakomi Body Inclusive Therapy training. He studied with Gerry Grossman for both his written and orals exams, and, after passing both on the first attempt, Andrew started offering Gerry Grossman Seminars classes for both the written and WCV exams in Santa Barbara where he has found interns in the Central Coast area extremely receptive to having locally based licensing classes.

Andrew is noted for his sense of humor and has served as the "comedy break" entertainer at several local CAMFT functions.