Who's in the chair changes the work.
Each primer covers developmental and contextual factors, what to assess, modality fit, common pitfalls, and what therapists often miss with this population.
Working with adolescents
Developmental brain, family system, and a still-forming identity — modalities and stance both need adjusting.
Working with couples
The relationship is the client. Your job is to track the pattern, not to be the umpire.
Working with LGBTQ+ clients
Affirmative care isn't a modality — it's a stance that runs through everything else.
Working with neurodivergent adults
Late-diagnosed ADHD and autism in adults need affirmative, skills-forward work — not pathologizing.
Perinatal mental health
Pregnancy through the first postpartum year — high-risk window, screening matters, treatment is highly effective.
Grief and bereavement
Most grief doesn't need treatment. Distinguish what does — and treat it without rushing the work.
Working with older adults
Cohort effects, medical complexity, and underserved access — therapy works, the field just hasn't shown up consistently.
Working with first responders and military
Culture-savvy, trauma-focused, and concrete — earn credibility before pushing process.
Working with chronic illness
Mind and body are not separable. Treatment targets quality of life within the illness, not eradication of distress about it.