Picture this: your teen storms off, slams their door, and shouts, “You just don’t get it!”. And if you’re honest, in that moment… they’re right. When emotions run high, even the most loving parents can find themselves reacting, fixing, or lecturing instead of connecting. But there’s a powerful tool that can calm the storm, rebuild trust, and actually make your teen want to talk to you: validation. In this talk, adolescent expert Britt Rathbone will break down the same six levels of validation used in countless therapy sessions into real-life, parent-tested strategies for handling even the most intense teen emotions. You’ll leave knowing exactly how to respond in ways that defuse drama, strengthen your relationship, and help your teen feel truly heard—without caving, sugarcoating, or walking on eggshells.

With Britt Rathbone, LCSW-C, BCD, GCP, of Rathbone Associates

This virtual presentation is free and open to the public, but reservations are required.

ABOUT OUR SPEAKER

Britt H. Rathbone is an expert in adolescent mental health and is committed to proving evidence-based treatments including CBT, DBT, Unified Protocol, ACT, Behavioral Activation, Prolonged Exposure, and others. He is the founder and director of Rathbone & Associates, a psychotherapy practice focusing on mental health issues and conditions of adolescence.  Mr. Rathbone earned his social work degree from Columbia University in New York and has been a highly rated instructor in the MSW programs at the National Catholic University School of Social Service and the University of Maryland School of Social Work. He has decades of experience in adolescent mental health and psychotherapy and he holds the most advanced certifications available through his professional societies. His expertise has been recognized by being consistently named a top therapist for teenagers by Washingtonian magazine and listed in Bethesda magazine’s “Best of Bethesda” for child psychology. He is proud to be the first clinician in Maryland, DC and Virginia to have passed the rigorous standards established by the DBT-Linehan Board of Certification and to be recognized as a DBT-LBC Certified DBT Clinician and to lead a DBT-LBC Certified Program.  Mr. Rathbone is the coauthor of the multiple books, book chapters, and articles, including: Parenting a Teen Who Has Intense Emotions; What Works with Teens: An Evidence-Based, Practical Guide for Working Effectively with Adolescents; Dialectical Behavior Therapy for At-Risk Adolescents.