Full Course Description

Attachment Patterns in Practice: Differentiating Trauma, Temperament, and Neurodivergence

Attachment patterns only make sense when viewed through the lens of the nervous system. This session helps you recognize what’s truly driving a child’s responses – so your interventions support regulation before relationship repair.

Nervous system cues that distinguish attachment distress from trauma responses and baseline temperament
Guardrails for using attachment language without over-pathologizing neurodivergent or culturally diverse children
Regulation-supportive responses that de-escalate survival states rather than intensify them
A clearer clinical lens for choosing interventions that restore safety and capacity for connection

Program Information

Objectives

Differentiate attachment theory as a developmental framework from its inappropriate use as a diagnostic label in clinical, educational, and family systems.
Distinguish attachment‑related presentations from behaviors more accurately explained by neurodivergence, temperament, cultural context, socio‑economic stressors, or developmental stage.
Compare intervention strategies that support regulation and relational safety with approaches that escalate distress or reinforce insecure attachment patterns.

Outline

Making Sense of “Attachment”: What It Is and What It Isn’t

How attachment language becomes a catch‑all explanation in clinical and school settings
Core principles of attachment theory vs. common misinterpretations
Limits of attachment theory as a diagnostic shortcut
Integration with trauma neuroscience, temperament, and systems context

Differentiating Attachment From Look‑Alike Patterns

Neurodivergence, temperament, culture, and socio‑economic stressors as alternative explanations
Why mislabeling happens: narrative pressure, ambiguity discomfort, system expectations
Common relational and behavioral patterns framed as safety strategies
Distinguishing attachment distress from developmental, contextual, or sensory factors

Responding Effectively: What Helps and What Backfires

Foundations of co‑regulation: steadiness, predictability, containment, timing
Structural safety vs. emotional intensity; presence over explanation
Pitfalls that escalate distress: over-processing, reassurance loops, over‑alignment
Practical applications across therapy, schools, families, and caregiving systems

Target Audience

Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel

Copyright : 08/05/2026

Emotion-Regulation Skills That Stick: Coping Strategies for ADHD, Anxiety & Anger

This fast‑paced session gives you simple, high‑impact strategies that help kids regulate big feelings, calm their bodies, and stay focused. You’ll learn movement‑based, sensory‑smart, and mind‑body tools you can use immediately with children and teens—no special equipment, no long explanations.

We’ll explore practical ways to support emotional expression, stabilize the nervous system, and improve engagement for kids navigating anxiety, ADHD, and anger in both home and school settings.

Teach grounding and breathing techniques that build body awareness and steady emotional reactions.
Choose coping tools that truly “fit” a child’s sensory needs, intensity level, and developmental stage.
Use playful, sensory-friendly methods that boost focus, motivation, and emotional flexibility.
Create safe, structured outlets for anger that prevent escalation and support healthy release.

Program Information

Objectives

Determine the challenges facing children who experience anxiety, ADHD, and anger.
Use a coping skills checklist to identify existing coping strategies and select new skills to add to a child’s coping repertoire.
Identify coping skills that children can use at home or school to engage in safe, healthy ways of managing feelings and navigating challenging moments.

Outline

Foundations of Coping Skills

Coping styles kids use and how to identify them
Explore coping skills with a checklist
Risks and limitations for research and techniques taught

Coping Skills for Different Challenges

Anxiety – deep breathing, grounding techniques
ADHD - the power of play and sensory strategies
Anger – using movement to handle anger in safe ways

Ideas for Implementation

The power of using visuals
Create a coping skills toolkit
Using a peace corner

Target Audience

Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel
Occupational Therapists

Copyright : 08/05/2026

Fireside Chat with Mona Delahooke, PhD: The Healing Power of Relationships and Neurodevelopmental Care

In this intimate fireside chat, Mona Delahooke, PhD is joined by her husband, Scott, and her longtime collaborator, Connie Lillas, RN, LMFT, PhD, for a personal conversation about how relationships, co‑regulation, and neurodevelopment shape the inner worlds of children and teens – especially those who struggle to communicate what they’re experiencing.

Following a life-threatening brain aneurysm, Dr. Delahooke’s own recovery was guided by the very nervous-system-informed principles she has taught for decades. Her return brings rare depth to this work, grounded in both neuroscience and lived experience.

Together, they explore how body-to-brain pathways support regulation and therapeutic readiness, how neuroception and interoception inform our understanding of stress responses in kids, and how principles from the NeuroRelational Framework and coma research highlight the power of safe, simple, non-activating sensory-motor input. Video moments from Mona’s recovery bring these ideas to life, offering clinicians a clear, human lens on supporting regulation and healing in children and adolescents.

Program Information

Objectives

Summarize key neurodevelopmental principles—including neuroception, interoception, and body‑to‑brain (“efferent”) pathways—that support self‑regulation and therapeutic readiness in children and adolescents.
Differentiate bottom‑up and top‑down intervention approaches by examining how relational safety, co‑regulation, and sensory‑motor input influence stress responses and regulation capacity.
Identify clinical implications from Dr. Delahooke’s lived experience of brain‑body reconnection to inform neurodevelopmental care for children, teens, and other individuals with communication or regulatory vulnerabilities.

Outline

Neurodevelopmental Foundations for Regulation and Readiness

Body‑to‑brain (“efferent”) pathways supporting regulation and therapeutic accessibility
Neuroception and interoception as guides for understanding stress patterns
Sensory‑motor input that supports regulation without activation
Bottom‑up principles illustrated through clinical examples and lived‑experience footage
Limitations of the research and potential risks

Relational Safety and Co‑Regulation in Practice

Cues of safety through voice tone, pacing, and emotional presence
Structured relational supports during dysregulation or shutdown
Co‑regulation strategies for individuals with communication or regulatory vulnerabilities
Relationship‑based approaches for building readiness before top‑down interventions

Clinical Application Through Lived Experience

Real‑world interpretation of bottom‑up strategies used during recovery from traumatic brain injury
NeuroRelational Framework (NRF) insights for children, teens, and adults with limited self‑regulation
Parallels between therapeutic care and the relational support that facilitated brain‑body reconnection
Translation of lived experience into practical tools for therapists, educators, and allied professionals

Target Audience

Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel
Occupational Therapists

Copyright : 08/05/2026

Anxiety, You’re Not the Boss of Me! Empowering Children and Adolescents to Take Charge and Build Confidence

Anxiety, when unaddressed, can quietly fuel avoidance, relational strain, and long‑term emotional challenges.

Join us for a clear, kid‑friendly framework for understanding anxiety, spotting who is truly ready for individual treatment, and using simple, science‑based tools that help kids feel steadier, braver, and more in charge of their internal world.

Key takeaways include:

A sharper lens for spotting hidden anxiety behaviors often mistaken for defiance, distraction, or mood issues.
Language and metaphors that help kids talk about anxiety without shame or shutdown.
Engagement strategies to keep anxious kids participating even when avoidance kicks in.
Simple ways to involve caregivers, so progress continues outside the therapy room or classroom.

Program Information

Objectives

Identify which clients are appropriate candidates for direct anxiety treatment and distinguish those who are better served by a parent-directed approach.
Use three key tools that activate top-down pathways to deactivate overwhelming anxiety and develop client agency and confidence in managing anxious symptoms.
Identify how clients can take charge of anxiety by activating top-down pathways in the brain.

Outline

Kids Who Benefit Most From Anxiety Support

Indicators of readiness for individual therapy
Patterns of avoidance suggesting better fit for parent‑based programs
Red flags pointing to the need for specialty care (OCD, related disorders, tics, PTSD)
Autonomy‑focused goal‑setting themes for motivated clients

Brain‑Based Understanding of the Anxiety Experience

Top‑down and bottom‑up pathways influencing anxiety responses
Anxiety as a survival‑driven, bottom‑up alarm system
Client‑friendly language for describing the “Anxiety Alarm”
The “Big Boss” pathway as the system for regulating emotional intensity

Tools for Strengthening Top‑Down Pathways

Breathing approaches supported by neurophysiology (XXX technique)
Directed attention with Mind Travel for interrupting mental triggers
Cognitive reframing with Worst Case Scenario for reducing anticipatory anxiety
Limits and risks of the strategies and research base

Clinical Considerations That Shape Treatment Direction

DSM-5 anxiety-related classifications and distinctions between developmental, trauma-based, sensory-driven, and situational sources of anxiety
Alignment between a client’s lived experience and fear responses
Family dynamics that unintentionally reinforce anxious patterns
Thresholds where anxiety severity outweighs current coping capacity
Indicators for psychiatric evaluation or referral

Target Audience

Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel

Copyright : 08/05/2026

Self-Injury, Suicidality, and the Path Back to Connection: Reaching Kids in Deep Pain through Creative Interventions

This workshop takes a compassionate, honest look at self‑injury and suicidality in youth—behaviors that often reflect unbearable emotional pain and create deep disconnection at the very moment connection is needed most. We’ll explore how these experiences impact young people, their families, and the professionals who support them, and how fear, shame, and helplessness can shape everyone’s response.

Through stories, discussion, and guided activities, this session strengthens empathy, reduces stigma, and offers grounded ways to stay connected to those who are suffering. We’ll also focus on the wellbeing of service providers, helping participants build practical strategies to stay steady, resilient, and supported while doing this demanding work.

Participants will walk away with:

A clearer, more compassionate lens for understanding self‑injury and suicidality.
Connection‑first responses that reduce fear and deepen trust.
Ways to stay grounded when working with intense emotions and high‑risk situations.
Practical wellness practices that protect your energy, empathy, and resilience.

Program Information

Objectives

Identify several types of self-injury and forms of suicidal ideation or behavior as they present across different developmental stages and clinical contexts.
List three or more clinically appropriate replacement behaviors or coping strategies that can support individuals who engage in self-injurious behaviors or experience suicidal thoughts.
Develop a personal wellness and resilience plan that addresses the emotional and professional impact of working with clients who exhibit self-injurious behaviors or suicidality.

Outline

Self-Injury and Suicidality

Common types of self-injury
Forms of suicidality (passive/active)
Developmental considerations
Warning signs and risk factors specific to self-injury vs. suicidality .

Supportive Alternatives & Replacement Strategies

Purpose of replacement behaviors
Three or more alternatives to self-injury
Strategies supportive for suicidality
Integrating alternatives into safety planning

Verbal & Nonverbal Support

Three helpful things to say/do
Three nonverbal support techniques
Maintaining boundaries and safety

Provider Wellness

Impact of working with self-injury/suicidality
Personal wellness and resilience plan

Application

Brief case examples will be provided

Risks and Limitations

Target Audience

Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel

Copyright : 08/05/2026

Digital Dynamics in Adolescence: Assisting Teens with Connection, Friendship, and Dating in the Social-Technological Age

Teens are forming identity, connection, and confidence in an online world that shifts faster than adults can track. Social media, texting patterns, digital intimacy, and peer comparison all shape how they bond, how they see themselves, and how they navigate friendships and early romantic relationships.

Takeaways include:

Patterns of digital communication shaping teen connection
Signals of unhealthy online influence on mood, self‑worth, and friendship dynamics
Frameworks for supporting safe exploration of digital‑age dating
Relatable language for explaining online pressure, comparison, and emotional overload
Tools for strengthening boundaries, digital balance, and real‑world social skills

Come explore a clear roadmap for understanding digital‑era stressors, supporting healthy social development, and guiding teens toward safer, more grounded online‑to‑offline interactions.

Program Information

Objectives

Identify the social-emotional challenges adolescents experience when using major social-technological platforms within their peer relationships.
Summarize current research on how social media, apps, and AI tools influence adolescent social behavior, identify development, and emotional wellbeing.
Utilize therapeutic strategies from cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, and humanistic approaches – modified for adolescents – to address social-emotional distress related to digital and online interactions.

Outline

Popular Social Media Platforms and Uses

YouTube - Entertainment and Information
TikTok - Continuous Daily “In-the-know” usage
Instagram - Sharing Photos and following creators
Snapchat - Private message texting alternative

Secondary Platforms and Uses

WhatsApp - Increasing communication/texting app
Discord - Popular for gaming
BeReal - “Authentic, spontaneous” communication
Reddit - Interest/Niche-based community comments

Emergence of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

AI Chatbots - relational/companion-like and “romantic connection"
Chat GPT - Academics, creativity, social-emotional, communication assistance
Potential Perks and Pitfalls

The Psychology of Teens Social Media Usage

Facilitates expression, friendships and dating
Feels required for acceptance and being “in-the-know”
Enhances experiences of FOMO and false urgency
Fuels intense social comparison, anxiety and depression
Promotes and Impedes identity development

Effective Therapeutic Strategies AND What to Avoid

Rapport-building: How to “join” teens in their online life
Support and Psychoeducation: Balancing validation with guidance
Structure and Intention: Tech- Centered Cognitive-Behavioral Strategies
Social Anxiety and Depression: Exposure/desensitization, and interpersonal Approaches
Limitations of the research and potential risks

Target Audience

Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel
Occupational Therapists

Copyright : 08/06/2026

Supporting Youth Mental Health in Schools: Culturally Responsive, Trauma-Informed Strategies for Diverse Learners

This session cuts through the noise and gets real about what today’s students are facing—and what adults can actually do about it to restore safety, regulation, and belonging within school environment.

You’ll walk away with:

Nervous-system-informed indicators for recognizing distress before it escalates into behavior or shutdown
Regulation-supportive, trauma-responsive tools you can use immediately in classrooms and school settings
Collaboration strategies that align schools, families, and clinicians around shared cues of safety and support
Simple, regulation-based self-care resets to help you stay grounded, effective, and compassionate
Culturally humble practices that promote felt safety and inclusion for diverse learners

Program Information

Objectives

Identify key mental health challenges impacting youth in educational settings, and examine how trauma, systemic inequities, and school climate influence student functioning and academic engagement.
Select culturally responsive and trauma informed interventions and integrate them to support the mental health and educational success of students from diverse cultural backgrounds.
Develop strategies to collaborate across school and community systems and produce integrated support plants that promote wellbeing, family engagement, and academic outcomes.

Outline

Youth Mental Health in Schools

Key mental health concerns impacting K-12 students
Social-emotional learning (SEL) and mental health: overlaps and distinctions
Warning signs and risk factors for school-aged children and adolescents
The role of systemic inequities and school climate in mental health

Culturally Responsive & Equity-Centered Interventions

Understanding the impact of race, culture, language, and immigration on student wellbeing
Culturally adapted CBT tools for youth
Incorporating cultural identity and strengths in treatment planning

School-Based & Community-Clinician Collaboration

Effective communication with school staff, families, and external providers
How community-based clinicians can aid with positive educational outcomes
Creating wraparound support systems that foster student success
Working across IEP/504 plans, behavioral intervention teams, and outside care providers

Tools, Modalities & Practical Application

Trauma-informed care in school settings: grounding, regulation, and sensory strategies
Mindfulness-based interventions adapted for classrooms and home use
Limitations of the research and potential risks of applying techniques without cultural/contextual adaptation

Target Audience

Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
Occupational Therapists
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel

Copyright : 08/06/2026

Level 1 Autism in Children & Teens: Understanding the Neurotype You Didn’t See Coming

Level 1 autistic youth are often missed precisely because their nervous systems work hard to adapt, mask, and perform. This session helps clinicians recognize subtle autistic presentations and adjust treatment to support regulation, safety, and authentic engagement.

Key indicators of internalized, masked, or late-identified autistic traits across developmental stages
Nervous-system and neurotype distinctions between autism, anxiety, ADHD, trauma responses, and giftedness
Cognitive, sensory, and regulatory patterns that shape stress responses and therapy fit

Program Information

Objectives

Distinguish Level 1 Autism from anxiety disorders, ADHD, trauma presentations, and giftedness using case-based diagnostic indicators.
Modify evidence-based treatment approaches to align with the cognitive, regulatory, and sensory profiles of Level 1 autistic youth in order to improve intervention fit, engagement, and therapeutic outcomes.
Analyze the risks and limitations of standard treatment protocols when applied without autism-informed modification.

Outline

Recognizing the Nuanced Presentation of Level 1 Autism in Youth

Review of diagnostic criteria with emphasis on subtle, internalized, and masked traits
Differentiating Level 1 Autism from anxiety disorders, ADHD, trauma presentations, and giftedness
Identifying masking and camouflaging patterns that contribute to missed or late diagnosis
Brief clinical case examples to strengthen recognition and differential thinking

Neurotype-Informed Case Conceptualization

Integrating autism into biopsychosocial formulation and treatment planning
Understanding cognitive style, literal thinking, rigidity, and monotropism in clinical context
Identifying sensory processing and regulation differences that impact therapy engagement
Reframing behaviors through a neurodiversity-affirming lens to reduce shame and misattribution

Adapting Therapeutic Interventions for Level 1 Autistic Youth

Modifying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to increase concreteness, structure, and accessibility
Adjusting cognitive restructuring, exposure work, and psychoeducation for literal thinkers
Incorporating DBT-informed emotion regulation and co-regulation strategies
Using visual supports, predictable session structure, and collaborative problem-solving to increase engagement

Research Considerations, Risks, and Ethical Practice

Overview of current research on adapted CBT and autism-informed treatment approaches
Risks of applying standard protocols without neurotype-informed modification
Limitations of existing research, including heterogeneity and underrepresentation
Ethical considerations related to masking, identity development, and therapeutic goals

Target Audience

Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel
Occupational Therapists

Copyright : 08/06/2026

Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) Strategies for School-Related Anxiety: Building Strength, Openness & Resilience

This session shows how ACT can support regulation and flexibility so students can re-engage with learning, relationships, and values despite anxiety.

In this session, you’ll learn:

Common patterns of school-based anxiety across developmental stages and neurotypes, viewed through a nervous-system lens
ACT processes that promote grounding, psychological flexibility, and values-aligned action under stress
Practical tools for unhooking from worry loops, avoidance cycles, and threat-based thinking
Strategies that strengthen resilience across academic, social, and performance-related demands
How reassurance traps, over-accommodation, and overcorrection can inadvertently reinforce survival responses

Program Information

Objectives

Summarize the basics of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, including the concept of defusion.
Utilize multiple interventions and micro-interventions with children and adolescents to help them manage their mental health regarding school-related stressors.
Define ACT-related concepts, such as the Hexaflex, for children, adolescents, and adults.

Outline

What is ACT and the Hexaflex?

Brief overview of the hexaflex: Acceptance, Defusion, Self-as-Context, Mindfulness, Committed Action, and Values
Foundations of ACT with children and adolescents in the context of school-related anxiety
Brief overview of the history of ACT

School-Related Anxiety in Context

Common stressors of school anxiety
Noticing and normalizing school-related anxiety
ACT to help address the anxiety
Anxiety and Shame/Embarrassment/Guilt

Practical Interventions

Hexaflex-based interventions
- Monsters on a Ship
- Cartoon Character Inner Voice
- Tell Your Story
- Thank Your Brain
- balloons and letting go
- what I wish my teacher knew about me
Philosophy of ACT: thoughts and feelings are not morally good or bad
Adapted interventions to fit client needs

Risks and Limitations

Not originally designed for use with children and adolescents
Unintentional minimalization of a client’s emotional experience
Unintentional strengthening of unhelpful core beliefs

Target Audience

Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel
Occupational Therapists

Inherited Hurt: Making Sense of Generational Trauma in Today’s Youth and Families

Generational trauma lives not just in stories, but in nervous systems – shaping how families respond to stress, conflict, and connection. This session offers a regulation-informed framework for understanding inherited patterns and supporting youth and families toward greater safety and stability.

A clear, nervous-system-aware framework for differentiating generational trauma from acute, developmental, or situational stress.
Trauma-informed, shame-free conversation strategies that reduce defensiveness and increase felt safety for youth and caregivers
Family‑stabilization tools that interrupt survival-based patterns such as repetition, conflict, and emotional withdrawal
System-level resilience approaches that support regulation, connection, and healing across the family unit

Program Information

Objectives

Summarize intergenerational trauma and its effects on adolescents’ emotions, behavior, relationships, and family patterns.
Differentiate common trauma-related behaviors in adolescents from developmental or situational behaviors based on key indicators such as fear, distrust, hypervigilance, and shutdown.
Utilize trauma-informed interaction and communication strategies for escalation management, prevention of retraumatization, and support of trust and openness with youth and families.

Outline

Intergenerational Trauma

What it is and how it’s transmitted
How historical, family, and community experiences shape current functioning
Effects on adolescents’ emotions, behavior, and relationships
Impact on family patterns and system involvement

Trauma Behaviors

Common presentations: aggression, withdrawal, defiance, dysregulation
Trauma responses vs. developmental or situational behaviors
Key indicators: fear, distrust, hypervigilance, shutdown

Mental Health Links

Associated diagnoses: PTSD, anxiety, depression, conduct issues, attachment disruptions
How generational trauma influences symptom development
Considerations for assessment and interpretation

Empathy & Re‑Traumatization

Core trauma responses: fight, flight, freeze, fawn
Approaches that reduce escalation and build emotional safety
Interaction strategies that avoid retraumatizing youth and families
Communication practices that support trust and openness

Legal & Ethical

Confidentiality boundaries
Mandated reporting
Cultural and community considerations
Limitations of research and the importance of context

Target Audience

Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel
Occupational Therapists

Psychopharmacology for Kids and Teens

A Message From Your Presenter...

As a psychiatrist, I see my job as serving YOU, the therapist.

I see clients less often and I rely on you as the main person in the trenches, working with our clients and their families. So, when I prescribe medication, I want to support your work. I need you to know what I’m thinking.

I believe that effective medication treatment relies on a strong partnership between you and prescribers.

That’s why I’m inviting you to this unique training. By cultivating these collaborative relationships, you can enhance the coordination of care, promote holistic treatment approaches, and ultimately improve outcomes for clients and families.

Drawing from my own experiences working with mental health colleagues, my training provides a roadmap for you to establish these strong partnerships—empowering you to actively contribute to the mediation treatment process.

Please join me, as I guide you through an overview of the latest information on responsible prescribing, complete with case-based best practices in responsible prescribing for children and adolescents. Together, we can create a more integrated and comprehensive approach to mental health care for children and teens!

I look forward to your participation!

Joshua Feder, MD

Program Information

Objectives

Practice from the perspective of a reversed form of bio-psycho-social care ie. social-psycho-bio informed care
Analyze current psychotropic treatment as it is related to target symptoms developmental aspects, and informed consent for common mental health conditions in children and teens
Employ an effective strategy for building more productive collaborative relationships with prescribers of psychotropic medications.

Outline

Managing the Power Differential to Build Collaborative Prescriber-Therapist Relationships
General Principles of Prescribing Psychotropic Medication

Disclaimer about medications and supplements
Why target symptoms are king
Is medication the tail or the dog?
Non-pharm first: S-P-B
Possibility of abuse, drug and substance use
When and why to integrate safety checks

Medication Management in Children and Teens

Step by step considerations
How to monitor target symptoms
Developmental considerations

The Ongoing Process of Informed Consent

Elements of informed consent
Who can give consent?
When parents are divorced
Assent: To what extent can the child be a partner in the process?
The ongoing process that supports good care

‘SPB’ Treatment of Common Mental Health Conditions

Anxiety including OCD
Sleep Disorders
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Depression
Autism
Trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Bipolar Disorder
Psychosis & Schizophrenia
Eating Disorders
Substance Use Disorders

Risks and Limitations of Research and Off Label Use of Medications

Target Audience

Psychologists
Social Workers
Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
Speech-Language Pathologists
Occupational Therapists
Occupational Therapy Assistants
School Administrators
Teachers/School-Based Personnel

ACEs and Trauma in Students: Identification and Reponses

Students who have experienced trauma often present as difficult to engage and display problematic behavior such as a low frustration tolerance, angry outbursts, or difficult social relationships. If you’re a school-based community health clinician, you know traditional behavioral approaches to classroom management and a punitive approach to discipline simply are not effective. In this session, you’ll take a deep dive into the ACEs study, how trauma manifests in schools, and what you can do about it.

Program Information

Objectives

Use information from the ACEs study to determine how trauma impacts a child’s development and to help in developing strategies for meeting his or her needs.
Apply a trauma-informed approach in work with children and adolescents that accounts for the ways in which poverty and mental health contribute to trauma responses.
Utilize social and emotional learning techniques to increase impulse control in children and adolescents who’ve experienced trauma.

Outline

Fight, flight, or freeze responses: How it manifests in school
ACES – Adverse Childhood Experiences study and survey
The role of poverty and mental health challenges
SEL techniques to increase Impulse control and conflict resolution skills
Risks and limitations

Target Audience

Counselors
Marriage & Family Therapists
Physicians
Psychologists
Social Workers
Other Mental Health Professionals