How could he do it? An exploration of adolescent violence via the Netflix series, ‘Adolescence’

Strengthen your clinical approach to adolescent violence, cyber-bullying, family impact and mental health with evidence-based research and actionable clinical insights.

The need to belong to and be accepted by a group is a normal developmental task of adolescence. However, with the rapid rise of instant communication via social media, and the hyper-sexualization of teens by society, this need can be magnified and distorted to a pathological degree. What happens if/when one is rejected by the group—or when a “crush” is unrequited? When does the need to belong become an unbearable pressure? What does it take to push someone who looks “normal” over the edge into adolescent violence?

This newly developed course will follow Jamie, a fictional 13-year old boy, through the treacherous waters of teenage relationships, using the Emmy nominated Netflix series, Adolescence as a springboard for discussion. Along the way, we will explore issues of cyber-bullying, misogyny, “incel” culture, explosive violence, and the impact of trauma on parents and family. What supports are in place for today’s teenagers? Where have all the adults gone?

Learning objectives:

• List the factors that contribute to adolescent relational violence.
• Appreciate the impact of cyber-bullying on adolescent development.
• Describe what a “good” mental health assessment does and does not look like.
• Have greater empathy for parents of disturbed teens.
• Reflect on and consider ways in which we can improve the safety and security of today’s teenagers.

Training format: This course will use a “flipped classroom” format, delivered over four 2-hour sessions. Participants need to watch each assigned episode of Adolescence independently at home before each session and use their personal Netflix subscription to access the episodes.

Weekly episodes and topics:

• October 1 – Episode 1: The suspect and the crime.
• October 8 – Episode 2: The school and social media.
• October 16 – Episode 3: The mental health assessment/assessor.
• October 22 – Episode 4: The impact on the parents.

Each weekly session will include:

• A facilitated reflective exercise and group discussion based on the episode viewed that week. Participants will engage in peer consultation to explore clinical questions raised by the content.
• A scholarly debrief led by Dr. Korenblum, who will place the episode in an academic context by integrating evidence-based research with actionable clinical insights.

Register today to build essential skills and insights to better support teens and families navigating the complex realities of adolescent violence and mental health.

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