Resisting the Righting Reflex When Supporting System-Involved Youth and Fam

Trainer: Dr. Marya Wright, DSW, LCSW

Date: August 26, 2025

Time: 1:00pm - 4:00pm

Location: Virtual – Zoom

Agency: Fred Finch

Participants must complete registration via the Fred Finch website in order to gain full access to the training course.

COMPLETE REGISTRATION HERE: https://www.fredfinch.org/events-1/resisting-the-righting-reflex-when-supporting-system-involved-youth-and-families

Fred Finch provides this training in conjunction with Chabot-Las Positas Community College District and Alameda County through Title IV-E Funding.

You can attend this training at no cost if you or your agency provides services and/or support to youth who are involved in the Alameda County foster care or juvenile justice systems.

Those who do not meet these eligibility requirements will be put on a wait list (or notified of their ineligibility to attend) and only California registrants from Amador, Calaveras, Contra Costa, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Solano, and Tuolumne County who support system involved youth will be admitted to the training if we have sufficient registration by those that are eligible and there is still space available.

Access more Fred Finch Trainings Here:

​​https://www.fredfinch.org/training

About the Event

Marya Wright, DSW, MSW

Training Description

This course will focus on the utilization of Motivational Interviewing (MI) skills when working with system-involved youth and their caregivers. This course will provide practical skills and strategies to resist the righting reflex when met with resistance. Participants will increase their understanding of the righting reflex. The content explores MI four guiding principles, represented by the acronym R.U.L.E. Participants will gain a general understanding of how resistance may show up when working with system-involved youth and their caregivers. The course will provide training participants with strategies on appropriate responses to resistance as well as statements and ways to respond to resistances rather than using the righting reflex. The material will be delivered by PowerPoint presentation, short video clips, group discussion, breakout (small group) discussions and participant workbook (handout).

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

· Identify 5 examples of how to respond when “coming alongside” a system-involved youth or caregiver that is ambivalent or expresses resistance to change;

· Explain at least 2 impacts of the righting reflex on engagement of caregivers of system-involved youth; and

· Explain the difference between inappropriate and appropriate responses to resistance.

Agenda

1:00-1:10pm Welcome and Agenda

1:10-1:20pm Objectives and Learning Goals

1:20-1:35pm Overview of the Righting Reflex

1:35-1:45pm Brainstorm experiences of this occurring when working with system-involved youth and families.

1:45-2:00pm R.U.L.E.

2:00-2:15pm Coming Alongside system-involved youth and families

2:15-2:30pm BREAK (CE Hours will not be offered during this time)

2:30-2:45pm Resistance

2:45-3:00pm How does resistance show up for system-involved youth and their families?

3:00-3:15pm Types of resistance

3:15-3:30pm Signs of resistance

3:30-3:40pm How to respond to resistance?

3:40-3:50pm What do you say to resistance?

3:50-4:00pm Questions/Answers & Closing

Meet Our Trainer

Marya Wright, DSW MSW BSW, is a nationally distinguished Black social worker, consultant, published author, educator, and facilitator with extensive experience in organizational leadership, child welfare services, and curriculum development. As the Founder and CEO of Wright Community Services LLC, Dr. Wright is dedicated to empowering system-involved families through awareness, services, and education. She also provides consultation, training, and facilitation to agencies serving these communities.

Dr. Wright earned her master’s in social work from Cal State East Bay, specializing in Child Welfare Policy and Research, and a bachelor’s in social work with a focus on Child Welfare Services and Motivational Interviewing from San Diego State University. She holds a Doctorate in Social Work from the University of Southern California Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, focusing on achieving equal opportunity and justice in the child welfare system.

As a community leader, Dr. Wright prioritizes building relationships, networking, and collaborating with stakeholders to address social and economic issues faced by clients, aiming for justice and peace. She serves as a qualified expert witness and forensic social worker. Additionally, Dr. Wright sits on the Board of Directors for the National Phi Alpha Honor Society and is actively involved with the National Association of Social Workers and California Chapter.

Dr. Wright’s research interests include child sexual exploitation, foster care, and algorithmic decision-making in child welfare. She has published articles and lectured extensively on these topics. Dr. Wright’s teaching experience includes courses in sociology and social work at Cal State East Bay, focusing on sexualities, child welfare policy, family sociology, and sexual violence. Currently, she serves as a professor in the graduate program teaching generalist practice, human behavior and social environment, and advance practice children youth and families.

This course meets the qualifications for (2.75) BBS CE hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.