THE BIRDS, THE BEES AND ATTACHMENT How to Keep Your Kids Safe Without Getting Stung!

 Why do our kids who are afraid to trust and love us, NEED/WANT sexual relationships? How about all the new terms: pansexual, gender fluidity, LGBTQ.N.O.P, zhe/xem (gender neutral pronouns). Has worry and confusion set in? This discussion will explore ways we can help our children manage the minefields of adolescent and teen relationships. It is tricky business when we caregivers try to support our children without impacting the parent-child relationship. This presentation will include information about adolescent attachment, gender differences, conflicting developmental tasks and the impacts of attachment and developmental trauma. Giving them a book on the Birds and the Bees is simply not sufficient for teens who resist parental involvement and still need to develop self-awareness that goes far beyond ‘safe sex’.

Deena McMahon is a family and attachment therapist in private practice. After working as clinical supervisor and director for in-home services for 20 years, she established her private practice working with children and families. She does forensic parenting assessments, attachment and sibling assessments, and attachment therapy. Ms. McMahon is often consulted as an expert witness on contentious child welfare cases. She also serves as consultant to numerous state and county child protection agencies, adoption agencies, and parent support groups. Ms. McMahon provides national and regional trainings and serves as a faculty consultant to the Minnesota State Guardian Ad Litem Program. She has been working with families and children for over 30 years and has developed expertise in the areas of childhood trauma, childhood sexual abuse, grief and loss, family violence, transracial placements, ICWA cases, adoption and attachment.

Please RSVP to CAMHI@co.benton.mn.us