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Live Webinar

Parenting Beyond Behavior: Attachment, Regulation, and Capacity

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Date & Time

Description

This presentation provides a clinically informed approach to parenting adolescents with complex mental health, trauma, attachment, or neurodevelopmental needs. Participants will learn to distinguish unwillingness from limited capacity, interpret behavior within a developmental context, and respond more effectively to challenging situations. Practical strategies will help parents balance accountability with compassion, establish realistic expectations, and support growth without overlooking each adolescent’s individual strengths, needs, and current capacities.

Educational Goal

The educational goal of this workshop is to strengthen behavioral health professionals’ ability to help parents understand adolescent behavior through an attachment-informed, regulation-focused, and developmentally responsive lens, while distinguishing unwillingness from limited capacity and balancing accountability with compassion.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Identify at least three trauma, attachment, regulation, or neurodevelopmental factors that may limit an adolescent’s capacity to meet expectations.

  • Differentiate unwillingness from limited capacity when presented with an adolescent behavioral scenario.

  • Apply at least two attachment and regulation-informed parenting strategies that balance accountability with developmentally appropriate expectations.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Angeni Worley, MS, RMHCI, holds an M.S. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and is a two-time alumna of Lynn University, where she earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology. She is also a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern (RMHCI) in the state of Florida. Angeni is honored to serve as the Lead Therapist at Family First Adolescent Services, where she works at the Cove residence. Family First is a residential treatment center providing comprehensive care for adolescents experiencing co-occurring mental health and substance use concerns, including complex trauma. In her role, Angeni has the opportunity to work with adolescent boys ages 12–18 and their families through individual, family, group, and experiential therapy. She draws from a variety of therapeutic modalities and approaches based on each client’s unique needs and goals, including the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), EMDR, DBT-informed care, and Gottman-informed approaches. Across her work, she places a strong emphasis on building authentic therapeutic rapport and creating a safe, collaborative environment where clients feel understood, supported, and empowered throughout their treatment. Angeni is excited to connect, learn, and share with fellow clinicians and is grateful for the opportunity to be part of a community committed to supporting adolescents and their families.
Diana Soto, LMHC, is a Senior Therapist at Family First Adolescent Services, where she provides individual and family therapy to adolescent boys with complex behavioral health needs. Her clinical experience spans substance use, co-occurring mental health concerns, trauma, attachment-related challenges, and neurodevelopmental differences. She currently works within the NEST program, supporting neurodivergent adolescents and their families through individualized, relationally focused care. Diana’s work centers on helping adolescents and caregivers look beyond surface-level behavior to understand the roles of emotional regulation, relational safety, developmental capacity, and unmet needs. She helps families distinguish unwillingness from limited capacity, maintain accountability without relying on shame, and establish realistic expectations that support connection, skill development, and sustainable growth. She is passionate about translating complex clinical concepts into practical strategies that families and professionals can apply in everyday interactions. Diana earned her Master of Science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Lynn University and her Bachelor of Arts in Forensic Psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Her clinical background also includes crisis intervention, parent education, therapeutic group facilitation, and supporting children and families affected by pediatric cancer. Bilingual in English and Spanish, Diana brings a culturally responsive, trauma-informed, attachment-focused, and strengths-based perspective to her work.

Financially Sponsored By

  • BrentCare Behavioral Health