Modern Challenges: How can we best support teens in 2025?

10am-1pm (AEDT)
Friday, 27th June, 2025
Online, Australia-wide via Zoom
3 hours CPD/3 hours OPD

(attendance certificate provided)

In 3 hours, we will close the generational gaps that hinder our relationships with teen clients. We'll explore the latest research and information to better understand teens and develop specific skills to connect with them,
guiding them toward healthier lives.

Our Australian teens are facing..

Social Media and Gaming

97% of Aussie teens use social media platforms

53% of young Australians experience cyberbullying, with most going unreported to adults

Drug use, sexual activity and
illegal behaviours

20% teens between 14-17 have used an illicit drug,
Just under half of year 10 to 12 students have had sex 

Increasing mental health issues + decreasing connection to family, friends and communities

More than a third of young Australians experienced mental health disorder in past 12 months post covid

Mental health problems among young people have increased by almost 50% in last 15 years, exacerbated by online accessibility and lowered socialisation

How can we support our adolescents amid social media, bullying, and risk taking in 2025, when we grew up in such a different world?

As mental health professionals navigating these challenges, we face generational gaps, often finding ourselves 1+ generations removed from the rapid changes affecting today’s youth.

Join us for an eye-opening workshop to equip you with the latest theoretical insights and strategies to effectively support the adolescents in your care in this modern, changing world in 2025.

By the end of our time together you will be able to..

1. Stay informed about the biggest modern issues for teens in 2025:
   Using the latest research and testimony from teens themselves, staying up to date with modern issues such as the impacts of social media, to ensure all counsellors are providing ethical, up to date counselling that safeguards teens

2. Implement practical skills to manage social media use and addiction, navigate uncomfortable conversations (underage sex, drug use) and help them form connection in their worlds

3. Bridge generational gaps: Feel confident in your knowledge of being up to date and how to speak to teens about issues in a way that truly connects to them — no generational gaps holding you back

Participants will leave feeling informed and equipped to navigate modern issues adolescent counselling in 2025.

We will dive into:

• The biggest issues that teens are struggling with in 2025, guided by the latest research, best practice recommendations and anonymous teen testimony

• How to manage healthy social media and technology use with teens and involve the collaboration of caregivers

• Specific techniques and scripts to expertly navigate challenging conversations with teens and families

• Legal frameworks and practical strategies to balance safety and rapport with clients under 18 and how to create a supportive environment for teens to explore natural drives for exploration and curiosity

Learning will be facilitated through interactive learning, practical case studies based on the most common and concerning teens issues in the latest findings and group discussions.

The worlds of Gen Z and Gen Alpha are moving quickly with new technologies,
new concerns and new best-practice approaches to supporting our teens
popping up every year.

Make sure you have all the latest information and research to have your finger on the pulse of what young people are talking about (to each other, not other adults like us!), have the skills to know what to say and how to make sure our young people thrive on their journey to adulthood.

Save your spot below!

Sign ups will close when spaces are full, sign ups close on the 26th of June at the latest.

Once you have paid below, i’ll send you an email shortly to say hello and fill you in on all the important information you need to know for our time together.

Is work or someone else paying?
Please email me at ellie@cocoonmentalhealth.com to sign up and arrange for the invoice to be sent directly to the paying party. PLEASE NOTE: Payment is due before attending the event.

Payment and Refund Policy
Refunds due to a change of mind or change in availability are not available after purchasing your spot for the workshop.

Refunds will be considered in extenuating circumstances, please email ellie@cocoonmentalhealth.com if you have an emergency situation arise.

In the case of the event being cancelled due to emergency, participants will be notified ASAP and refunded or given a credit for the rescheduled event.

Still unsure if this masterclass is for you? Check out..

• Why it is our responsibility to be informed in 2025 if we are interacting with young people

  Most young people rely on friends and the internet for information, with responsible adults such as parents and teachers not knowing what’s going on behind the scenes.
  We are this valuable middle ground of which we need to lean into for their safety and development.

  Changes are happening at an unprecedented pace, and without staying updated, we risk missing out on significant opportunities for education, safeguarding, and support that can enhance our lives.
  
  If we do not have the skills to have difficult conversations or navigate challenges such as social media without being informed, we push young people further away with our generational gaps and they go further unsupported.

• What past participants said..

  “I would highly recommend this training to both novice and seasoned clinicians
  working within the youth space.”

  “This training took me back to the pillars of success when working with adolescent clients.
  Ellie made it simple to understand and linked everything back to research and evidence.”

  “I really took a lot away from today which I can now use in my practice. I think the framework Ellie has created is wonderful and I LOVE the concept behind Cocoon.”

• What you'll get out of the day

  • 3 CPD hours with certificate of attendance upon completion (only available for participants who attend full workshop)

  • Tangible skills that are tried and tested with teens, to ensure safety without jeopardising therapeutic connection

  • Guidance and coaching with specific examples and scripts on how to have challenging conversations with teens, parents and schools regarding awkward topics such as drug use, sexual activity and social media use

  • Latest research, theoretical approaches and testimony from teens themselves to give you a thorough understanding on what is happening for our teens, their perspective and how to support them in a way that works

As a counsellor on the cusp of Millennial and Gen Z, I have the privilege of being surrounded by young people in my professional and personal life.
I am lucky to be in tune with their world, particularly when it comes to social media and the issues they find important.
I am also in tune with the challenges we have as adult counsellors who grew up in a very different world, and are increasingly concerned for our teen clients.

With a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master's in Counselling, specialising in Youth Trauma and Grief, I've undergone extensive training in family therapy and child and adolescent counselling, mentored by leading therapists in Sydney. My journey began in the non-profit sector, working with high-risk youth and their families, leading youth advisory programs with teens and mental health workshops in schools.

I'm deeply passionate about educating fellow practitioners, whether through training and supervising school workshop facilitators, mentoring clinicians in youth organisations, or lecturing undergraduate Psychology and Counselling students. My global experience, which spans Australia, the UK, and Canada, is driven by a lasting curiosity and commitment to mental health. I believe that by sharing knowledge and resources, we can create a stronger support network for young people navigating today's challenges.