Young at Heart: Exploring Young Adult Literature as a Therapeutic Intervention

Description: Young Adult literature has long been known for presenting controversial and relevant topics. Many of the frequently challenged and banned books are considered works within the Young Adult literature genre. Additionally, research consistently demonstrates that reading and interacting with literature has many developmental and therapeutic benefits. While many adults are criticized for consuming Young Adult literature, doing so can be incredibly helpful and therapeutic for clients. This webinar will explore the identity of Young Adult literature, ways adult clients can benefit from Young Adult literature, as well as ways to incorporate this type of literature into the therapeutic process.

CE Broker Tracking #:20-1105720

This event is sponsored by FMHCA, an NBCC-Approved Continuing Education Provider. FMHCA NBCC Provider# 2058. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  FMHCA is solely responsible for all aspects of the program. This course is approved by the Florida Board of Clinical Social Work, Marriage and Family Therapy and Mental Health Counseling, LMHC, LMFT, LCSW – FMHCA CE Broker #: 50-748

Learning Objectives:

1. Define young adult literature as a distinct literary genre by describing the three main narrative components common to young adult literature and how they are different from adult literature. 
2. Identify common themes in young adult literature and how they reflect social and cultural attitudes present in current American society by highlighting several prominent young adult works as examples of how authors incorporate those themes in their writing. 
3. Explore evidence based benefits of reading and bibliotherapy and apply them to adult clients using theoretical frameworks describing human development.

Mel Gomez-Erickson (they/them/theirs) is a Registered Mental Health Counselor Intern with a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Central Florida and a Master’s in Experimental Psychology from the College of William & Mary. Their counseling experience includes treating individuals, couples, and groups in residential, outpatient, and school-based settings. Prior to working as a counselor, Mel spent over 10 years working in the education system, at the elementary, middle, high school, and undergraduate levels.

Mel believes that everyone can benefit from therapy in some way, and that therapy is not a ‘one size fits all’ field. Mel incorporates their knowledge of psychology, education strategies, and popular culture to enhance the therapeutic process by providing clients the space to explore their presenting concerns through a lens that is easily understood and relatable. Mel is a certified trans-competent counselor and their areas of clinical focus include: anxiety, depression, trauma, stress management, family/relationship issues, and phase of life changes. They specialize in working with teens and adults, particularly those from populations who are often stigmatized and ostracized, including the LGBTQ+, kink, BDSM, and ethical non-monogamy communities.

As an LMHC in Florida, Angela specializes in providing therapy for couples (traditional and non-traditional) and therapists. She works with couples on developing relational intelligence to improve their relationships and quality of life, and therapists on managing a number of experiences that come up through their work or may be impacting their work.

In couples therapy, clients can expect to explore aspects such as, but not limited to identity, power and control, care and closeness, respect and recognition, the various bond we have in life, need, vulnerabilities, biases, monogamy vs. non-monogamy, love, and more. In sessions for therapists, clients can expect to explore what it means to rediscover and rework their approach to being a person and a therapist, while managing the various experiences that emerge through their work and might be impacting their work, such as burnout, values, identity, trauma, navigating graduate school, and more.

As a graduate of Rollins College, over the years Angela has worked with individual, other therapists, and a variety of couples in college and private practice settings and engaged in community-based and advocacy work within in-patient, LGBTQ+, addiction, and community mental health centers.

As a therapist, Angela is honest, direct and genuine. She finds therapy to be an exciting space for exploration, curiosity and development, but also a space where clients can develop through challenging themselves and having fun.