Working With Immigrant Parents vs Acculturated Children (Conflict work) (3 CEU's)

TRAUMA, CULTURE & RELATIONAL DYNAMICS
Working With Immigrant Parents vs Acculturated Children (Conflict Work) – 3 CEUs

Overview:
Differences in acculturation between immigrant parents and their children can create significant family tension, misunderstandings, and relational strain. Children and adolescents often adapt to dominant cultural norms more rapidly through school, peer relationships, language exposure, and social environments, while parents may maintain stronger ties to cultural traditions, values, and expectations from their countries of origin. These differences can contribute to conflict regarding identity, autonomy, family roles, education, dating, boundaries, discipline, emotional expression, and expectations around loyalty and responsibility. Therapists frequently encounter families in which both generations feel misunderstood, rejected, or fearful of losing important aspects of themselves and their relationships.

In this presentation, Dr. Zairys Feliz, Ph.D., LCSW, participants will examine culturally responsive and trauma-informed approaches for working with conflict between immigrant parents and more acculturated children. Attendees will explore how migration experiences, intergenerational trauma, survival narratives, collectivist values, identity development, role shifts, language differences, and acculturation gaps influence family functioning. The course will address common clinical themes including parentification, cultural guilt, role reversal, family loyalty conflicts, emotional distance, identity struggles, and communication breakdowns across generations. Participants will learn practical strategies for assessing cultural meaning systems, reducing polarization, facilitating emotionally safe conversations, and helping families strengthen understanding without positioning either generation as “right” or “wrong.” Through case examples and applied discussion, attendees will gain practical tools for addressing one of the most common and emotionally complex family dynamics within immigrant communities.

Objectives:

1. Identify how acculturation differences contribute to conflict and relational strain between immigrant parents and children.

2. Recognize common emotional, relational, and identity-related themes associated with intergenerational acculturation gaps.

3. Apply culturally responsive interventions that support communication, emotional understanding, and family connection.

Scope and Limitations Disclosure
This course provides licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals with an overview of culturally responsive approaches for working with immigrant families experiencing acculturation-related conflict. Participants will learn practical assessment and intervention strategies relevant to outpatient and family-focused clinical practice. This training does not provide comprehensive multicultural specialization or certification in family systems or immigration-related mental health treatment. Participants are expected to apply course material within their professional scope of practice, ethical standards, and ongoing commitment to cultural humility.

Financial and Commercial Disclosure
The presenter has no relevant financial relationships or conflicts of interest to disclose. Any references to cultural frameworks, family systems concepts, interventions, or resources are included solely for educational purposes. Participants are not required to purchase any additional materials to complete this course.

Refund Policy – Live CE Trainings (Virtual & In-Person)
All registrations for live CE trainings are subject to this refund policy. By enrolling, participants agree to these terms. Cancellations made 7 days or more prior to the scheduled training date are eligible for a full refund minus a $25 administrative fee, or participants may elect to receive a full credit toward a future training. Cancellations made less than 7 days before the scheduled training are non-refundable; however, registrations may be transferred to another eligible training or another attendee with prior written approval. Participants who fail to attend a scheduled live training, do not complete attendance requirements, or fail to satisfy course participation requirements are not eligible for refunds or CEUs. If a training is canceled or rescheduled by the provider, registrants will be offered either a full refund or the opportunity to transfer to another training. Refunds will not be issued if participants are unable to earn CEUs due to incomplete attendance, failure to complete required evaluations, or licensing board eligibility restrictions.