Treating the Mental Health Needs of Emotionally Parentified Adults: Addressing Relational Difficulties and Reducing Shame
Live Event

Treating the Mental Health Needs of Emotionally Parentified Adults: Addressing Relational Difficulties and Reducing Shame

Tue, Aug 11th, 2026
1:00pm – 2:30pm US Eastern Time
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About the Event

Parentification in childhood is a phenomenon that often affects adult relationships in ways that can disrupt healthy relational functioning. Emotionally parentified adults may experience shame, difficulties with boundaries, and patterns of relating that contribute to ongoing mental health challenges.

This training explores the unique clinical presentation of emotionally parentified adults, common co-occurring mental health concerns, and evidence-informed strategies for addressing shame-based relational patterns. Participants will gain practical tools to support clients in developing healthier relationships and improving emotional well-being.

Live Event
This live online event will be held as a Zoom Webinar. Attendees will have the option to interact through features such as the Chat and Q&A, but cameras and microphones will not be enabled.

Live Event Instructor

Lauren Dennelly

Lauren Dennelly

Dr. Lauren Dennelly (she/her) has a PhD in social work and social research from Bryn Mawr College. Her research interests include qualitative and mixed methods healthcare research related to primary care and mental health. She currently teaches and works in private practice, specializing in supporting caregivers, those experiencing chronic disease, and adults who were parentified as children. Her upcoming book, Why You Never Got to Be a Kid: How to Heal When Your Parents Didn’t Parent will be released by New Harbinger Publications in July 2026.

Target Audience

This live interactive is intended for Behavioral Health and Addictions professionals, including psychologists, social workers, counselors, marriage & family therapists, art therapists, school psychologists, psychoanalysts, music therapists, behavior analysts, school counselors, and addiction counselors. It is appropriate for beginner levels of knowledge.

Learning Objectives

After taking this activity, you should be able to:

  1. 1 Describe emotional parentification and its impact on relational functioning in adulthood.
  2. 2 Identify common mental health conditions associated with emotional parentification in adulthood.
  3. 3 Apply evidence-informed interventions to address shame-based relational difficulties in emotionally parentified adults.

Dariotis, J. K., Chen, F. R., Park, Y. R., Nowak, M. K., French, K. M., & Codamon, A. M. (2023). Parentification vulnerability, reactivity, resilience, and thriving: A mixed methods systematic literature review. International journal of environmental research and public health, 20(13), 6197. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph20136197

Garber, B. D. (2021). The dynamics of enmeshed family system ten years later. Family court and contemporary understanding of adultification, parentification, and infantilization. Journal of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 34(1), 97-120.

Henson, C., Truchot, D., & Canevello, A. (2021). What promotes post traumatic growth? A systematic review. European Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 5(4), 100195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejtd.2020.100195

Jurkovic, G. J. (2014). Lost childhoods: The plight of the parentified child. Routledge.

Hooper, L. M. (2007). Expanding the discussion regarding parentification and its varied outcomes: Implications for mental health research and practice. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 29(4), 322-337. https://doi.org/10.17744/mehc.29.4.48511m0tk22054j5

Schorr, S., & Goldner, L. (2023). “Like stepping on glass”: A theoretical model to understand the emotional experience of childhood parentification. Family Relations, 72(5), 3029-3048. https://doi.org/10.1111/fare.12833Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

Disclosure to Learners

CE Learning Systems adheres to the ACCME's Standards for Integrity and Independence in Accredited Continuing Medical Education. Any individuals in a position to control the content of a CE activity – including faculty, planners, reviewers, or others ― are required to disclose all relevant financial relationships with ineligible entities (formerly known as commercial interests).

The following relevant financial relationships have been disclosed by this activity's planners, faculty, and the reviewer:

Planners and Reviewers

The planners of this activity have reported that they have no relevant financial relationships.

Faculty

There are no known relevant financial relationships to disclose.

Commercial support

There is no commercial support for this distance-learning course.

Use our CE Approvals tool to look up your state requirements and how can help you meet them, or log in to your member account to show approvals relevant to your licensure.

Joint Accreditation (JA)

1.5 Psychologist CE credit hour
1.5 Social Worker CE credit hour Clinical
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
In support of improving patient care, CE Learning Systems, LLC, is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
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American Psychological Association (APA)

1.5 CE credit hour Clinical
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
Continuing Education (CE) credits for psychologists are provided through the co-sponsorship of the American Psychological Association (APA) Office of Continuing Education in Psychology (CEP). The APA CEP Office maintains responsibility for the content of the programs.
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Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB ACE)

1.5 CE credit hour Clinical
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
As a Jointly Accredited Organization, CE Learning Systems LLC is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved under this program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. Social workers completing this course receive 1.5 clinical continuing education credit(s).
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National Board for Certified Counselors (NBCC)

1.5 CE credit hour
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NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC)

1.5 CE credit hour
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
This course has been approved by CE Learning Systems, service provider of Impact CE, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #192243, CE Learning Systems is responsible for all aspects of their programming.
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NAADAC Approved Education Provider

Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (FL CSW, MFT, MHC)

1.5 CE credit hour CE Broker logo 20-1392019
Eligible until Mar 27th, 2027
Impact CE, a service of CE Learning Systems, is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling (Provider # 50-315).
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Florida Certification Board (FCB)

1.5 CE credit hour
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
Impact CE, a service of CE learning Systems, is approved by the Florida Certification Board (FCB) to offer continuing education programs (Provider # 5069A).
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Florida Board of Psychology

1.5 CE credit hour CE Broker logo 20-1392019
Eligible until Jul 21st, 2028
Impact CE, a service of CE Learning Systems, is approved by the Florida Board of Psychology (Provider # 50-315).
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Missouri Credentialing Board (MCB)

1.5 CE credit hour
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
AddictionCounselorCE is an approved provider of the Missouri Substance Abuse Professional Credentialing Board (Provider #101). AddictionCounselorCE maintains responsibility for this course and its contents.
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New York Education Department Board of Social Work

1.5 contact hour
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
CE Learning Systems, LLC, (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers. Provider #0060.
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New York Education Department Board of Creative Arts Therapy (NYSEDCAT)

1.5 CE credit hour
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
CE Learning Systems (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed creative arts therapists. #CAT-0008
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New York Education Department Board of Mental Health Counseling

1.5 CE credit hour
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
CE Learning Systems, LLC (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed mental health counselors. #MHC-0072.
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New York Education Department Board of Psychologists

1.5 CE credit hour
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
CE Learning Systems, LLC, (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for psychologists, # PSY-0016.
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New York Education Department Board of Marriage and Family Therapy

1.5 CE credit hour
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
CE Learning Systems, LLC (d/b/a impactce.com) is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0045.
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Virginia Certification Board (VCB)

1.5 CE credit hour
Eligible until Aug 11th, 2026
Virginia Certification Board educational provider # 106
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Event Agenda

Agenda times are listed in US Eastern Time. That is 3 hours later than US Pacific Time. The event starts at 10:00am US Pacific Time.

1:00–1:10 PM: Introduction


1:10–1:20 PM: Defining parentification and its different types, research on the role of culture


1:20–1:30 PM: Relational and shame issues


1:30–1:40 PM: Diagnostic presentations and key factors


1:40–2:00 PM: Interventions


2:00–2:05 PM: Concept of the wounded healer, ethical considerations


2:05–2:10 PM: Summary


2:10–2:30 PM: Q&A/Review

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If the activity must be cancelled by the provider, all attendees will receive an email notifying them of the cancellation. The email will also provide details about transferring the registration to another educational activity or receiving a refund of the registration fee. As always, you can contact our support team if you have questions or concerns.

Frequently Asked Questions

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