Become a Certified Parent Trainer
Adolescents and young adults in treatment do not heal in isolation. Sustainable change happens when the entire family system learns how to respond differently.
This live, cohort-based continuing education program equips mental health professionals with the frameworks, tools, and applied practice needed to coach parents toward meaningful, lasting change—so the work happening in treatment is reinforced, not undone, at home.
By completing this course, participants are eligible to receive 16 Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) and the Certified Parent Trainer Certification upon successful completion of the program and required assignments.
The next 8 week program begins on April 7 from 12–2pm Central Time.
Who This Training Is For
This program is designed for licensed and pre-licensed professionals who work with adolescents, young adults, and families, including:
- Therapists and counselors (LMFT, LCSW, LPC, LPCC, Psychologists)
- Clinicians working in IOP, PHP, RTC, and outpatient settings
- Providers supporting neurodivergent youth or complex family systems
- Professionals seeking to expand their scope into parent coaching and family systems work
Meet the Instructors
Paul brings a wealth of experience to each family having worked in therapeutic treatment settings for over eleven years. As a Professional Life Coach in private practice, Family Wellness Counselor and Master Wilderness Field Guide in Wilderness Therapy, a Counselor with a Home Transitions program, Mentor and Clinical Staff in Aftercare Settings; Paul continues to work passionately to support individuals and families on their path of healing and personal growth.
Having worked extensively in various treatment settings, Paul offers as a trainer the teachings and skills that he has gathered throughout his career. He supports families in finding the balance within relationships, responsibilities, and a settled home environment through collaboration with clients. This includes developing individualized plans and supporting structure that honors each family member.
Paul brings a unique perspective to this work having gone through his own journey of growth and self-discovery. Having had the experience of placing a family member in wilderness therapy and then integrating her into his home to provide post treatment stabilization and structure, Paul understands and can also relate to the family perspective in his work.
With a desire to help others find their path of health and belonging, Mary pursued a career in counseling and coaching, where she has supported adolescents, young adults, and their families in a variety of settings. She earned a Master’s of Science in Counselor Education from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and has since traveled west, where she has supported others in both wilderness settings and residential programs. She passionately integrates alternative and creative training approaches unique to the needs of the individual or family.
Throughout her career, Mary has worked as a primary therapist, family therapist, and parent coach. Her work with young adults and adolescents covers issues ranging from substance use, attachment issues, depression and anxiety, troubled relationships, and grief and loss. She values working with the family system, providing support and guidance so that families can experience more effective and healthy communication and connection.
Her straightforward training approach focuses on authenticity, accountability, and action. With compassion and support, Mary creates space for deep reflection and meaningful growth.
Mary believes that everyone is capable of growth and success in life, and her hope is for others to experience that belief in themselves. Her work empowers families to explore meaningful alternatives to past patterns, thoughts, and behaviors. Through this work, they cultivate healthy relationships, communication, and life skills for the future.
Why Parent Training Matters in Treatment
Parents are often doing the best they can—without the tools, language, or frameworks needed to support regulation, connection, and growth at home.
This course bridges the gap between clinical insight and real-world application, giving professionals a structured, ethical, and developmentally informed approach to:
- Reduce family conflict and escalation
- Improve consistency and alignment across caregivers
- Support emotional regulation and co-regulation
- Reinforce treatment goals outside of session
- Empower parents without pathologizing them
What You’ll Learn
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Assess family systems objectively to identify patterns, roles, and intervention points impacting adolescent behavior
- Coach parents to recognize triggers, assumptions, and reactive cycles—and respond with intention
- Apply evidence-informed frameworks to guide behavior change across developmental stages
- Teach families practical communication, regulation, and repair strategies they can use immediately
- Support effective co-parenting and sustainable family leadership
- Design clear, actionable home plans that reinforce treatment goals and improve outcomes
How the Program Works
Live, Interactive Learning
This is a fully live, cohort-based training—no pre-recorded video modules.
Weekly two-hour live online instructor-led sessions
Total of 16 hours of live instructional training
- Real-time instruction, discussion, and case application
- CE-compliant attendance tracking
Applied Practice & Feedback
Each week, participants complete structured homework assignments, including:
- Practicing skills in real or simulated parent interactions
- Weekly video submission demonstrating applied skills
- Peer video review and structured feedback
- Optional office hour for Q&A and case consultation
Certification-Focused
Completion of all sessions, assignments, and evaluations qualifies participants to become
Certified Parent Trainers
equipped to ethically and effectively work with families alongside clinical treatment.
What Makes This Training Different
✔ Systems-Based, Not Symptom-Only
Focuses on family dynamics, not just individual behavior.
✔ Clinically Grounded & Actionable
Designed for immediate application in treatment-adjacent settings.
✔ Live Skill Development
Participants practice, demonstrate, and receive feedback—rather than passively consume content.
✔ Treatment-Aligned
Supports adolescents and young adults currently in care without undermining or duplicating therapy.
✔ Ethical & Scope-Appropriate
Clear guidance on boundaries between therapy, parent coaching, and family systems support.
Certification Outcomes
Upon successful completion, participants will:
- Earn 16 Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) upon successful completion of the program
- Receive a Certificate of Completion
- Be recognized as a Certified Parent Trainer
- Gain tools, frameworks, and language to confidently support parents and caregivers
- Expand professional offerings while improving client outcomes
- Gain access to the Parent Trainer resources and community for ongoing support and to share with your clients
Ideal Settings for Application
Graduates of this program commonly apply these skills in:
- Adolescent and young adult treatment programs
- Family systems–based settings
- Care coordination and treatment planning
- Parent education groups and workshops
- Private practice (within scope and licensure guidelines)
Continuing Education Credits
Participants who successfully complete the program will receive:
• 16 Continuing Education Credits (CEUs)
• Certified Parent Trainer Certification from Parent Trainers
• Practical tools and frameworks for working with adolescents, young adults, and families
CE credits are awarded for participation in the 16 hours of live instructional sessions. Assignments and optional instructor office hours are designed to support applied learning but do not count toward CE instructional hours.
Completion of the full program, including assignments, is required to receive the Certified Parent Trainer Certification.
Clover Educational Consulting Group is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists.” Clover Educational Consulting Group maintains responsibility for this program and its content. Contact us at continuing.education@
Enrollment Information
Spaces are limited to maintain a high-quality learning and feedback experience.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Selected applicants will be invited to a short fit interview before enrollment.
Frequently asked questions
Course Learning Objectives
Participants will learn to:
- Support families in analyzing family system patterns by integrating caregiver self-assessment data, family roles, rules, and structural dynamics
- Identify predictable interaction patterns and clinically relevant intervention targets
- Facilitate structured caregiver self-assessment processes to identify triggers, assumptions, emotional responses, and behavioral patterns, and
- Teach and guide curiosity-based communication and reality testing within family systems
- Design and implement evaluative tracking systems to compile, interpret, and monitor parent and child behavior patterns over time in order to inform treatment planning, monitor progress, and adjust interventions.
- Apply advanced communication and relational interventions—including validation, reflective listening, affirmations, Socratic questioning, and rupture-and-repair processes—to establish and maintain therapeutic alliance, rapport, and emotional safety with families.
- Demonstrate and apply regulation-focused intervention strategies (e.g., de-escalation, self-regulation, co-regulation, resourcing, and structured crisis-response tools such as Backtrack/Frame) across varying levels of emotional intensity and family functioning.
- Utilize developmental and stage-based models (e.g., developmental timelines, parenting styles, the Transtheoretical Model, and the Developmental Assets framework) to assess readiness for change, support stage transitions, and plan developmentally appropriate interventions.
- Utilize applicable family dynamics models, such as the Drama Triangle, to analyze family roles and patterns and create direct interventions to support more appropriate role dynamics within family system
- Critique co-parenting dynamics by identifying systemic strengths, role alignment, and barriers to consistency, and design communication strategies that improve collaboration and long-term family functioning.
- Design and apply integrated behavior-support plans—including consequence sequencing, SMART goal development, values-based home planning, and caregiver self-care strategies—to promote sustainable parenting practices and long-term family system change.
Is this therapy training or parent coaching training?
This program focuses on parent training and family systems support, not psychotherapy. It is designed to complement clinical treatment by helping parents apply skills and strategies at home. Clear ethical and scope-of-practice guidance is provided throughout the course.
Who is eligible to enroll?
This course is designed for licensed and pre-licensed mental health professionals, including LMFTs, LCSWs, LPCs, LPCCs, psychologists, and clinicians working in treatment settings.
Does this qualify for continuing education (CE) credit?
Yes. Participants who successfully complete the program are eligible to receive 16 Continuing Education Credits (CEUs) and the Certified Parent Trainer Certification.
Credits are awarded for participation in the live instructional sessions and completion of the required learning assignments.
Continuing education credits are provided through Clover Educational Consulting Group, an APA-approved sponsor of continuing education for psychologists. Clover Educational Consulting Group maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
How much time should I expect to commit?
- Weekly live webinar sessions (120 minutes of instructional time — counts toward CE credit)
- Weekly homework assignments (approximately 60–90 minutes)
- Preparation and submission of one recorded video assignment (time varies)
- Review and feedback on peer video submissions (approximately 60 minutes)
- Weekly optional instructor office hours (60 minutes — optional and does not count toward CE instructional hours)
Will I receive feedback on my work?
Yes. Participants receive instructor feedback on submitted video assignments to support skill development and competency.
Can I use this certification in private practice?
Yes—within scope and licensure guidelines. The course provides guidance on ethical integration, boundaries, and appropriate use in clinical, adjunctive, or coaching contexts.
Does this replace family therapy training?
No. This training supports parent skill-building and systems reinforcement and is intended to complement—not replace—family or individual therapy.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.
Selected applicants will be invited to a short fit interview before enrollment.
Still have questions?
If you’re unsure whether this training is the right fit for your role or setting,
we invite you to learn more or connect with our team before enrolling.
info@parenttrainers.com
Support families. Strengthen treatment. Expand your impact.