Therapy With Young People Episodes

163
Sept. 11, 2025

Dissociation in children and adolescents

Bron and Michael (Mental Work podcast editor) unpack the complex and often misunderstood topic of dissociation in children and adolescents. Drawing on Bron’s recent experience as a researcher in this area, they explore what dissociation is, how it shows up in young people, common causes, and why early recognition is so important. They also dive into gaps in research, the lack of youth-specific treatments, and share practical strategies to help clinicians feel more confident when working with dis...
105
May 16, 2024

Working therapeutically with young children (with Kate Christie)

Bron and Kate chat about the challenges and rewards of working therapeutically with children under the age of 10. 👉🏼 Kate shares her journey into child psychology 👉🏾 Innovative therapeutic techniques such as Lego therapy 👉🏿 How to maintain boundaries and confidentiality in sensitive family situations 👉 The importance of liking and understanding children 👉🏻 Practical advice for early-career psychologists interested in this area of practice. Guest: Kate Christie, Child and Adolescent Psychologi...
103
May 2, 2024

Working effectively with teens (with Marie Vakakis)

Bron and Marie explore how to work effectively with teenage clients. We cover 👉🏽 The importance of getting to the root cause of behaviours like vaping or excessive phone-use 👉🏻 Managing parents' expectations 👉 Ethical complexities when working with young people 👉🏿 TikTok self-diagnosis 👉🏾 Ways to build rapport with teens. I learned HEAPS when recording this ep, and I hope you do too! Guest: Marie Vakakis, Accredited Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) and Family & Couples Therapist at The The...
Guest: Marie Vakakis
88
Jan. 18, 2024

Family therapy: The basics and an intro to relational dynamics (with Marie Vakakis)

Bron and Marie unpack family therapy using the hypothetical case study of the Wilson family, who are finding it hard to be in the same room without arguing, all while navigating work stress and teenage development. They chat about 👉🏽 When family therapy is appropriate 👉🏻 How to conceptualise presenting concerns in family therapy 👉 Common family therapy strategies 👉🏿 How to understand family dynamics 👉🏾 Further training and reading recommendations for budding family therapists. Guest: Marie Va...
Guest: Marie Vakakis
84
Nov. 30, 2023

How to feel confident when working with parents (with Marie Vakakis)

Nervous about including parents in therapy? Wish you could run the other way when a parent asks to speak with you? Our guest today, Marie Vakakis, wants EVERY therapist to feel comfortable working with parents and families. Marie helps Bron to 👉🏽 address common anxieties that psychs have about working with parents 👉🏻 How to involve parents in therapy 👉 Common dilemmas and how to address them. Guest: Marie Vakakis, Mental Health Social Worker (AMHSW) and Family & Couples Therapist, Host of Thi...
Guest: Marie Vakakis
68
Aug. 10, 2023

Working with kids and parents (with Jordan Turner)

Bron and Jordan unpack working with kids. They chat 👉🏽 How to get kids engaged in therapy and build rapport with them 👉🏻 When and how to use self-disclosure with kids 👉 Managing parent expectations and getting parents onside 👉🏿 Resources for child therapy. Guest: Jordan Turner (Educational & Developmental Psychologist Registrar) THE END BITS Mental Work is the podcast unpacking the challenges faced by early career psychologists, so they don’t have to go it alone. Hosted by Dr Bronwyn Milki...
Guest: Jordan Turner