Date: June 5, 2026
Times: 9:30 am-5:30 pm Eastern (Find the time for your location)
Instructor: Cathy Heenan, EdD
Location: Live in Newton MA
Credits: 6 CEs
Learn a Model for Working with Family Estrangement
Unresolved Issues and Conflicts: Working With an Adult Child and Parent(s) or Siblings to Heal Relationships
It is not uncommon for an adult child and parent(s), and adult siblings to have unresolved conflicts that result in either a distant or estranged relationship. There may come a time when the difficulties or loss is so great that, now, they want to resolve their issues with each other. Wanting things to change for the better is one thing; knowing how to do so is another. Finding a clinician with the skill set to do this particular work can be a challenge. Many clinicians are not trained in high conflict resolution. This workshop will provide specific training helping professionals can utilize to address the significant needs of this population who are suffering due ruptured relationships.
Dr. Heenan developed a model that involves establishing a quick, genuine way to build rapport with each client. She starts the conversation by initial work with each client one to one. These meetings are conducted in a targeted fashion to create a safe environment for open and honest communication as well as to create confidence in the practitioner. Unlike some therapies, especially individual work, it is the clinician who controls the session. Key interventions arise from knowing where to steer the conversation, how to identify the core issues, how to navigate the obstacles to change, and how to provide specific suggestions needed to build trust between the clients.
Cathy co-wrote a book about designing and presenting workshops. She brings her expertise in presenting material in enlivening and practical ways. She will teach you how to assess each person’s willingness and capacity for change; how to move quickly from each person’s complaint to their desired outcomes; how to prepare clients for successful conjoint meetings by helping them show up with the ability to listen; how to proactively support each person’s capacity to manage triggers that would disrupt progress; how to use foundational “coaching tips” for successful meetings; how to help each relationship configuration create workable parameters for their improved relationship(s).
Statement of Need for this Training: High conflict and disengaged relationships between parents and adult children, and between adult siblings are prevalent in their frequency providing potential traps for well meaning individual therapists and big challenges for family and couple therapists. This important work can be relatively short term and very gratifying to facilitate.
Cathy Heenan, EdD
Cathy Heenan, EdD is a licensed psychologist and educator who brings together the worlds of communication and psychology to minimize fractures in a range of relationships. For over thirty-five years she has successfully guided couples in methods that improve dialogue, helping them to create pathways to understanding, respect for differences, and resolution of conflicts. Dr. Heenan developed a model to work with adult children and their parent(s) who want to address unresolved differences and conflicts. This model is also applicable to helping siblings improve their relationships. During a divorce, Cathy coaches clients in the management of intense feelings to reduce conflict and provides specific tools and practical strategies to move through obstacles when they occur.
Cathy is also an international trainer in Collaborative Law. With her colleague, she designed a 3-day Step-by Step Collaborative Interdisciplinary Training in the Netherlands having trained over 500 professionals. She presents the workshop “Understanding and Managing Impasse” in the US, Canada and Ireland. She presented at the Young President’s conference in Budapest on “The Art of Relationship: Navigating the Course of Marriage” and “Fight, Flight, Make it Right: Managing Conflict in Marriage”.
For over 25 years Cathy consulted to Afterschool programs. She was the narrator on two training videos for afterschool directors in School-Aged Child Care for the Wellesley College Center for Research on Women. She is co-author of the book “Preparing, Designing, Leading Workshops,: A Humanistic Approach”; author of “Whose Wedding Is It: When Your Adult Child Gets Married”; Co-creator of the Collaborative Practice ‘In Action’ DVD 9 episode series. Cathy is a contributing author to the Mother’s Book.
Schedule:
Registration and Breakfast: 9:30 to 10 am
Learning: 10:00 am-11:45 am
Break 11:45 am- 12:00 pm
Learning: 12:00 pm-1:30 pm
LUNCH PROVIDED: 1:30 pm- 2:30 pm
Learning: 2:30 pm-4:00 pm
Break: 4:00pm- 4:15 pm
Learning: 4:15 pm- 5:30 pm
Learning Objectives, Participants will:
- Name how to assess each client’s willingness and capacity for behavioral change.
- Describe how to gather information focusing, just enough, on the complaints and more on the desired outcome.
- Explain how to prepare clients ‘to listen to learn’ and to control defensive reactions by being taught techniques to manage ’triggers’.
- Create coaching ‘tips’ for successful meetings.
- Describe how to help clients create the ‘do’s and don’ts for a healthy parent and adult-child relationship, sibling relationships, or divorced parent relationships and identify the pitfalls to avoid moving forward.
Target Audience
This learning event is designed for helping professionals including, but not limited to, social workers, mental health counselors, and marriage & family therapists. People who attend from professions other than those for whom we are approved for CEs may check their local Board of License Registration to see if these CEs will apply. Details about our CE approvals are listed here
Cost: includes breakfast and lunch
- Individual Registration: Regular Rate—$165; Early Bird Rate: $145
- Early Registration Deadline: April 24, 2026
- Black Therapists Rock and all BIPOC clinicians are eligible for an equity discount of 25% by using the code EQUITY in the online registration form. NEAFAST Members are eligible for a 15% discount using the code NEAFAST.
- 6 CEs will be available at an additional cost of $25 paid upon registration for social workers, mental health counselors, marriage & family therapists and anyone else who determines their board will accept our CEs.
Location Live in Newton
Additional Information
Participants MUST attend 100% of the program to earn the 6 CEs approved for eligible professions.
CE certificates will be downloadable within three days of each event after participants complete the workshop or course and fill out the online evaluation.
- Therapy Training Boston is approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6707 for Mental Health Counselors. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Therapy Training Boston is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CEs FOR MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELORS -
This program has been submitted to NEAFAST for 6 credits for LMFTs. LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CEs FOR MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPISTS
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Application has been submitted for 6 CEs for Social Work Continuing Education for relicensure, in accordance with 258 CMR, NASW-MA Chapter CE Approval Program LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CEs FOR SOCIAL WORKERS
- Check with your state board to determine whether our approved CEs meet the criteria for your license
Read detailed information about CEs here.
No refunds are available for late cancellations. If participants cancel 30 days or more prior to the start of the event, they may apply the fee to a future program. Workshops may be cancelled by Therapy Training Boston if minimum enrollment requirements are not met or in the case of other unexpected circumstances. If this occurs, a full refund will be provided.