Complex Developmental Trauma: Attachment, Neurobiological and Cognitive-Behavioral Interventions to Support the Traumatized Child

When children’s nervous systems are activated, stress hormones trigger a cascade of physiological and emotional responses.

They may experience unsafety, overwhelm, anger, or disconnection, which can interfere with the development of executive functioning skills.

As emotions and behaviors escalate, children are often mislabeled with multiple diagnoses such as ODD, ADHD, or anxiety. Clinicians may assume the behaviors are tightly linked, rather than recognizing them as individual symptoms with distinct underlying drivers.

This training will focus on addressing symptoms directly: using anxiety interventions to reestablish a sense of safety, attachment-based approaches to address isolation and disconnection, and sensory regulation strategies to support children in managing emotions linked to traumatic experiences.

Dr. Christina Reese, an expert in attachment and trauma therapy for children, will guide you through practical techniques to:

• Support recovery from developmental delays by targeting disrupted milestones
• Apply principles of neuroplasticity to help reframe oppositional behaviors
• Reduce hypervigilance and promote emotional regulation
• Strengthen caregiver–child relationships by fostering balanced emotional responses
• Improve executive functioning through consistent safety and stability
• Develop treatment plans that prioritize symptom-based interventions over categorical diagnose

This session will provide a clear, evidence-informed framework for addressing complex trauma in children through targeted, developmentally appropriate strategies.