Professional Certificate in Adolescent Psychotherapy

January/February 2027 | 30 CPD Hours | Live Online via Zoom

1. Presenter Bio

Susi Lodola (MIACP)

Susi Lodola (MIACP) is an IACP-accredited psychotherapist and clinical supervisor with over 11 years of clinical experience in private practice. Her work includes psychotherapy with adults and adolescents, clinical supervision, professional education and the development and delivery of continuing professional development programmes for counsellors and psychotherapists.

Susi has lectured at third level in psychotherapy and psychological perspectives on mental health and delivers professional training to psychotherapists, counsellors and educational professionals. She also provides training for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), Department of Education.

She holds an MSc in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Motivational Interviewing, a Higher Diploma in Psychology from University College Dublin, a BA (First Class Honours) in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy, a BA (Hons) in Linguistics from University College Dublin, a Professional Certificate in Child & Adolescent Counselling, a Practitioner Certificate in Mindfulness and a Diploma in Clinical Supervision.

Guest Lecturers

The programme also includes specialist contributions from experienced practitioners in areas particularly relevant to psychotherapy with adolescents.

Dr Malie Coyne - Dr Malie Coyne is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist, author and experienced educator. Her specialist contribution focuses on the application of Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) with adolescents, including working with self-criticism, shame and emotional difficulties.

Orlaigh Byrne MSc - Orlaigh Byrne is a psychotherapist with specialist experience in neurodiversity and almost two decades of experience in post-primary education, including SEN and autism provision. Her session explores working therapeutically with neurodivergent adolescents, including Autism, ADHD and AuDHD, masking and unmasking, the Double Empathy Problem and neuro-affirming approaches to therapeutic practice.

Clodagh Ní Ghallachóir MSc - Clodagh Ní Ghallachóir is a counsellor, psychotherapist and organisational psychologist and holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Family Law from the Law Society of Ireland. Her specialist contribution addresses legal and ethical considerations when working with clients under 18, including consent, guardianship, confidentiality, parental involvement, safeguarding, mandatory reporting and professional responsibilities.

2. Course Outline

The Professional Certificate in Adolescent Psychotherapy is a four-day practical training programme for therapists and other appropriately qualified professionals who want to develop the specialist knowledge and clinical skills required to work effectively with adolescents.

The programme considers how adolescent cognitive, emotional, social and identity development influences mental health, engagement in therapy, assessment, formulation and intervention. A central emphasis is placed on understanding the individual young person rather than applying the same therapeutic model to every adolescent.

Participants learn how to bring together developmental factors, presenting difficulties, family and school context, strengths, preferences and maintaining processes to develop an individualised formulation and treatment plan. The course covers adolescent-specific assessment and intake, risk screening, outcome measures, therapeutic engagement, collaborative formulation and intervention planning.

Evidence-informed approaches include CBT and behavioural interventions alongside person-centred, compassion-focused, mindfulness-informed, relational and creative approaches. Interventions are considered in relation to the young person's formulation, developmental needs, preferences, the available evidence and the therapist's competence.

Participants also explore parental involvement, confidentiality, safeguarding, neurodiversity, collaboration with schools and other professionals, and the legal and ethical responsibilities involved when the client is under 18.

Teaching is practical and interactive, using clinical case material, demonstrations, discussion, experiential exercises and resources that can be adapted for clinical practice.

Key areas covered

• Adolescent development and its implications for mental health and psychotherapy
• Adolescent-specific intake, assessment, risk screening and outcome measures
• Individualised case formulation and collaborative treatment planning
• Building therapeutic engagement while supporting adolescent autonomy
• CBT and behavioural interventions adapted for adolescent presentations
• Compassion-focused, person-centred, mindfulness-informed, relational and creative approaches
• Neuro-affirming work with Autism, ADHD and AuDHD
• Working collaboratively with parents, carers, schools and other professionals
• Consent, confidentiality, guardianship, safeguarding, mandatory reporting and record keeping
• Using supervision, reflection and referral appropriately when working with clients under 18.

3. Learning Outcomes

By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:

• Understand key aspects of adolescent cognitive, emotional, social and identity development and their implications for psychotherapy.
• Conduct an adolescent-specific intake and assessment, including risk screening, collaborative goal setting and the use of appropriate outcome measures.
• Parental considerations
• Develop an individualised formulation incorporating developmental, psychological, family, school and wider contextual factors.
• Build a therapeutic relationship that supports adolescent autonomy, engagement, collaboration and appropriate confidentiality.
• Select and adapt evidence-informed interventions according to formulation, client preference, developmental need and therapeutic goals.
• Apply CBT and behavioural principles to common adolescent presentations while integrating other appropriate relational, compassion-focused, mindfulness-informed and creative methods.
• Adapt therapeutic work for neurodivergent adolescents, including young people with Autism, ADHD and AuDHD.
• Work appropriately with parents, carers, schools and other professionals while maintaining the adolescent's therapeutic voice.
• Navigate consent, confidentiality, legal considerations, guardianship, safeguarding, mandatory reporting and record keeping when working with clients under 18.
• Recognise the limits of professional competence and make appropriate use of supervision,

4. Dates, Fee, Booking & Contact

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