How to Engage Youth Virtually
Format
Individual Presentation
First Presenter's Institution
JenVisions, LLC
First Presenter’s Email Address
jennywilhoite@gmail.com
First Presenter's Brief Biography
I have Bachelor’s in both English Literature and Psychology from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and earned Master’s in both Clinical Community Counseling and School Counseling at University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, where I now moonlight as an adjunct professor of Family Counseling for their graduate program. I have been practicing for 15 years, specializing in CBT, ASD, DID, personality and mood disorders, music therapy, art therapy, play therapy, family therapy, individual therapy, and alternative therapies. I enjoy working with all ages and backgrounds
Submitter
I am submitting this proposal as one of the presenter(s)
Location
Sloane
Strand #1
Health: Mental & Physical Health
Strand #2
Home: Family & Community Engagement
Relevance
The material truly addresses all 5H strands as the mental wellness of our youth impacts the heart and social interaction, how one performs in school, and definitely prevents violence, but it most relevantly applies to Health, mainly mental health as it details successful methodology of teletherapy use; followed by Home, as each person is part of the whole that is a family, and family therapy and training are also much more accessible, as you can reach multiple people in multiple locations.
Brief Program Description
Provides insight on how to engage adolescents virtually; demonstrating how telehealth therapy appeals to certain demographics ranging from age, location, presenting concerns, and can be both more clinically appropriate and effective for youth. It details techniques to engage each child and address their individual needs, while forming a true connection virtually and provides guidance for rapport building with even the most resistant teenager.
Summary
Providing insight on how to engage adolescents virtually by demonstrating how telehealth therapy not only appeals to certain demographics ranging from age, location, and presenting concerns, but can also be more clinically appropriate and effective for some children. The workshop details techniques on how to engage each child by becoming a more robust mental health clinician; learning how to meet the child’s need where they need to be met, regardless of location and medium, even if it means stepping outside of our comfort zones. The presentation is designed to teach clinicians, school counselors, school psychologists, social workers, and teachers how to navigate the efficiency of telehealth, while protecting boundaries and highlighting some positives of the virtual modality that may not have been previously considered. Music therapy, art therapy, dance therapy, and instant access advantage will be discussed, as well as case study successes and how it works in real time, along with the recent American Psychological Association research showing 96% effective as a mental health module. The ability to implement Telehealth therapy, provides all children access to mental health services, from their room, school, car, or wherever they are. Telehealth can address the needs on all three tiers providing universal prevention, early intervention, and intensive services for at-risk students. Diagnostic assessments, peer groups, pre-screening, group therapy, individual therapy, family therapy, community support services, and family training are just some of the services that can be provided anytime, anywhere. The material truly addresses all 5H strands as the mental wellness of our youth impacts the heart and social interaction, how one performs in school, and definitely prevents violence, but it most relevantly applies to Health, mainly mental health as referenced above, followed by Home, as each person is part of the whole that is a family, and family therapy and training are also much more accessible, as you can reach multiple people in multiple locations.
Evidence
https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/01/special-telehealth-worth#:~:text=A%20whopping%2096%25%20of%20psychologists,2020%20to%2050%25%20in%202021
https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/answering-the-call-the-benefits-of-teletherapy-for-teens-and-young-adults/#:~:text=Teletherapy%20may%20potentially%20be%20more,a%20normal%20mode%20of%20communication.
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Kathryn-Snyder-3/publication/348942329_The_digital_art_therapy_frame_creating_a_%27magic_circle%27_in_teletherapy/links/608592ae2fb9097c0c0cd6b9/The-digital-art-therapy-frame-creating-a-magic-circle-in-teletherapy.pdf
Personal witnessed and conducted case study successes, will be detailed
Learning Objective 1
Attendees will be able to define 3 advantages to telehealth.
Learning Objective 2
Attendees will be able to analyze and interpret what modality would best suit each child.
Learning Objective 3
Attendees will be able to describe and implement 4-5 techniques to actively engage clients of any age virtually.
Keyword Descriptors
Virtual, therapy, teletherapy, teens, tele-mental health, music therapy, art therapy, virtual engagement
Presentation Year
2025
Start Date
3-3-2025 2:45 PM
Recommended Citation
Wilhoite, Jenny, "How to Engage Youth Virtually" (2025). National Youth Advocacy and Resilience Conference. 26.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/nyar_savannah/2025/2025/26
How to Engage Youth Virtually
Sloane
Provides insight on how to engage adolescents virtually; demonstrating how telehealth therapy appeals to certain demographics ranging from age, location, presenting concerns, and can be both more clinically appropriate and effective for youth. It details techniques to engage each child and address their individual needs, while forming a true connection virtually and provides guidance for rapport building with even the most resistant teenager.