Part of Adolescence or a Consequence of Abuse?

Conference with Norma Howes and Mark Limmer

North Wales Border - Wrexham, Glyndŵr University

21^st November 2009

Think of a few words to describe teenagers and perhaps some of the following will come to mind: rude, selfish, volatile, rebellious, hormone led, monosyllabic, outrageously risky, crash parties, and they lay about and sleep all the time... oh and they are a fashion nightmare. 

Ask a teenager to pick a few choice words to describe an adult and maybe one or two of these would be on the list: boring, sad, always angry, don’t listen, control freaks, stupid and old and they are definitely a fashion nightmare. 

Adults would possibly prefer to be described more along these lines:  patient, understanding, kind, reasonable, offering guidance, clearly explaining consequences and they do not expect to be listened to but will keep on trying despite. 

 Often workers and parents sigh at the thought of engaging with teenagers.  This day will offer up recent studies, investigations and inquiries along with other ideas and possibilities that will perhaps change the groans into sighs of relief. Norma and Mark will be sharing information about teenagers that will intrigue, engage and ensure that working with teenagers whilst always a challenge can also be fun and dynamic. 

The conference will consider teenager sex and sexuality and what it means to be a teenager biologically, socially and emotionally. The day will include research and information including the neurobiology of the teenage brain whilst looking at understanding their risk taking behaviours, links between alcohol and teenage pregnancy in the context of risk taking and will include ideas for creative interventions and engagement strategies.

 One of the potential outcomes for those attending the day will be a fresh and informed approach to engaging and working with teenagers, seen from this perspective as exciting and interesting. This will come about by understanding and using the neuroscience of the teenage brain to join the teenager on their dynamic journey towards emotional wellbeing and resilience.

This conference is likely to enlighten and enliven any relationship with a teenager be it personal, professional, pastoral or parental.

Norma Howes is a Social Worker, Child Forensic Psychologist and Sensorimotor Psychotherapist.  Norma is involved in training police, social workers, health and education staff on all aspects of childhood trauma and abuse.   She has a private practice working with adults and children most of whom have experienced severe childhood trauma.  She has worked in the field of trauma, mental health and dissociation for more than twenty years and has researched the impact of dissociation on memory and the implications this has for both civil and criminal court proceedings.

Norma was also a member of a Child Trauma Team one day a week for twelve years where she was involved in both assessment and therapeutic services for children who had experienced Type 1 and Type 2 trauma.   She has a special interest in the impact of trauma, abuse and dissociation on attachment and consequent behaviours following child abuse and domestic violence.

Dr Mark Limmer is currently the Deputy Regional Teenage Pregnancy Co-ordinator for the North West of England and for the last 20 years has worked in the field of young people’s sexual health as a youth and community worker, health adviser, psychotherapist, trainer and strategist.

Between 2004 – 2007 he led a research and intervention project exploring the links between alcohol use and sexual health in 14 and 15 year olds focusing on identifying the connections and the common antecedents.  He has a particular interest in working with and researching young men, particularly young men whose sexual attitudes and behaviours are seen as problematic.

He has an MA in Health Research from the University of Lancashire and his doctoral research, completed in 2009, focused on the impact of masculinity and exclusion on the sexual risk taking of young men. His other research interests include exploring the links between alcohol use and sexual health in young people and the development of effective policy and practice to improve the emotional and physical sexual health of excluded and vulnerable young men and women.