Think:Kids

10/29/2025

It can be frustrating when people do things we don't want them to. A friend cancels plans at the last minute. A child refuses to get dressed for school. Before long, resentment sets in. The temptation is to push harder. More reminders, more rules, more consequences. But the techniques we use to get people to alter their behavior are often strikingly ineffective. This week, psychologist explains why these methods fail, and offers better ways to help the people we care about make lasting change.

https://www.hiddenbrain.org/podcast/reframing-the-battle-of-wills/

10/22/2025

10/17/2025

Congratulations to our friends at Youth Villages on their powerful feature in The Chronicle of Philanthropy! The article highlights their extraordinary work helping at-risk youth and families thrive through evidence-based, family-centered approaches.

We’re especially proud to see our Collaborative Problem Solving® (CPS) approach featured as part of their compassionate, effective work with families.

Youth Villages continues to set the standard for data-driven innovation, collaboration, and persistence in improving outcomes for kids and families across the country. We’re honored to support their journey.

Read the full story here: https://bit.ly/47vr8jh

The group, which works to keep families together and out of the foster care system, leans on deep data analysis, adaptability, and a book-loving CEO.

10/17/2025

Excited for Dr. Ablon to have joined Dr. Alison Cook's podcast. Be sure to give a listen to learn about the Power of Curiosity over Control!

10/16/2025

10/14/2025

Is your child's behavior causing some challenges at home or school? Join us to learn about Collaborative Problem Solving®, an approach that helps kids meet expectations, build skills, and strengthen relationships with adults. Discover effective ways to respond to concerning behavior and watch your relationship with your child improve.

Enroll now in this self-paced, online course and discover the philosophy behind Collaborative Problem Solving and how this mindset can make a difference in your home!

Take the course for $39 today: https://bit.ly/4gkI2nP

08/21/2025

On-Demand Learning: Introduction to Collaborative Problem Solving for Therapeutic Settings.

Do you work with children in clinical, residential, therapeutic day programs, or partial hospitals? Join us to learn what Collaborative Problem Solving is all about and transform your professional and personal approach to addressing challenging behavior.

Learn how Collaborative Problem Solving can support your residential or therapeutic team and clients: https://bit.ly/3PXFuA5

Collaborative Problem Solving® (CPS) is an evidence-based, trauma-informed approach that helps children meet expectations, reduces concerning behavior, builds skills, and strengthens relationships with adults.

08/16/2025

Shift your perspective from one of frustration to connection with your kids.
In this supportive, live online class, you’ll learn the Collaborative Problem Solving® approach alongside fellow parents and caregivers. Discover how to understand the “why” behind your child’s behavior, reduce conflict, and strengthen your relationship. Walk away with practical tools that help you replace daily frustrations with meaningful connections—and a calmer, more cooperative home.

Let's prepare for challenges BEFORE they come our way!

📅 Join us for 6 Wednesdays, starting September 3: 5:00 pm- 6:30 pm ET /2:00pm - 3:30pm PT. Reserve your spot today: https://bit.ly/3O9UmcI

🤝 Meet Your Instructors:
Tyrena Lester, LICSW, is a Certified Trainer and Consultant at Think Kids. In this role, she trains and coaches various audiences across settings, including teachers, mental health professionals, counselors, and parents.

Tyrena’s professional experience has included providing clinical services through her community in many capacities. Her areas of expertise include working with children and families, victims of trauma, youth who have experienced exploitation, trauma-informed care, and training and consultation. In addition, she currently holds an adjunct professor position at Westfield State in the MSW program. She has over 10 years of experience teaching various college courses in western Massachusetts and is the co-author of Implementing Measurement-Based Care in a Youth Partial Hospital Setting: Leveraging Feedback for Sustainability. Tyrena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Social Work. She is currently a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Massachusetts.

Margaret Johnson, LMSW, spent many years working directly with youth, families, and staff in Oregon’s foster care and residential treatment settings. As part of a large-scale effort to implement CPS across Oregon’s systems of care, she created CPS-based pilot programs, facilitated community meetings, and built curricula supporting CPS growth, resulting in overseeing the Oregon CPS Project at Oregon Health & Science University. Margaret is passionate about teaching CPS to programs that serve families and youth involved in the child welfare and justice systems. She loves teaching CPS directly to parents. Margaret holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s Degree in both Psychology and Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.

08/15/2025

, join Think:Kids and develop your back-to-school behavioral growth mindset with Collaborative Problem Solving®.

Join us online to learn the CPS approach with Think:Kids: September 9, 10, 11: 12:00pm - 5:15pm ET / 9:00am - 2:15pm PT

Register today: https://bit.ly/3XTiMvG

The Essential Foundation (level 1) course covers all aspects of the Collaborative Problem Solving approach. Through lectures, role-play, video examples, case studies, and breakout groups, participants learn how to identify what’s really causing unmet expectations and challenging behavior and how to address those causes using a relational and replicable process.

This course offers 12 PDP and CE credits!

Upon completion, you will be able to:
✔️ Describe why a new approach is needed for working with individuals with challenging behaviors.
✔️ Explain that a person's behavior is influenced by their thinking skills rather than their motivation to behave well
✔️ Identify how implicit bias may impact judgment about a person's behavior.
✔️ Differentiate between problems to be solved and challenging behaviors when doing a Collaborative Problem Solving Assessment.
✔️ Identify how responses to situations are consistent with Plan A, Plan B, and Plan C.
✔️ Use Collaborative Problem Solving to build skills and address problems, not just challenging behaviors.
✔️ Solve problems collaboratively with others.

08/14/2025

Parenting isn't always easy - but you're not alone! Join fellow parents and caregivers for an enlightening and empowering online class in Collaborative Problem Solving®. Improve your child's behavior, lessen your stress, and build stronger family ties than ever before in this live, online, supportive class.

Let's prepare for challenges BEFORE they come our way!

📅 Join us for 6 Wednesdays, starting September 3: 5:00 pm- 6:30 pm ET /2:00pm - 3:30pm PT. Reserve your spot today: https://bit.ly/3O9UmcI

🤝 Meet Your Instructors:
Tyrena Lester, LICSW, is a Certified Trainer and Consultant at Think Kids. In this role, she trains and coaches various audiences across settings, including teachers, mental health professionals, counselors, and parents.

Tyrena’s professional experience has included providing clinical services through her community in many capacities. Her areas of expertise include working with children and families, victims of trauma, youth who have experienced exploitation, trauma-informed care, and training and consultation. In addition, she currently holds an adjunct professor position at Westfield State in the MSW program. She has over 10 years of experience teaching various college courses in western Massachusetts and is the co-author of Implementing Measurement-Based Care in a Youth Partial Hospital Setting: Leveraging Feedback for Sustainability. Tyrena holds a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Master’s in Social Work. She is currently a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Massachusetts.

Margaret Johnson, LMSW, spent many years working directly with youth, families, and staff in Oregon’s foster care and residential treatment settings. As part of a large-scale effort to implement CPS across Oregon’s systems of care, she created CPS-based pilot programs, facilitated community meetings, and built curricula supporting CPS growth, resulting in overseeing the Oregon CPS Project at Oregon Health & Science University. Margaret is passionate about teaching CPS to programs that serve families and youth involved in the child welfare and justice systems. She loves teaching CPS directly to parents. Margaret holds a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor’s Degree in both Psychology and Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.