As an experienced estate planning attorney and foster/adoptive father, Chris knows the pressures that working families face. And the added challenges of working with the foster system, government systems, and the chaotic day-to-day of being a parent. Planning for the future feels impossible when you can barely plan for dinner tonight. Chris shares, "I can help,…

Developing children's self-regulation in the context of relationships: Theory, research, and practical strategies. The ability to regulate thoughts, feelings, and behaviors is the cornerstone for healthy development. Trauma exposure can have a cascading effect on regulatory pathways. Research shows that caregivers can buffer these effects. This session will introduce research on the development of self-regulation…

Relationships Heal: Evidence Based Mental Health Services for Young Children and Caregivers. This workshop will help audience members understand key principles of infant and early childhood mental health. We will also explore the importance of early intervention services that simultaneously support the developmental needs of young children, their primary caregivers, and their relationship(s) with one…

Have you ever wanted to put the pieces of your life together? Not just to look where you have come from but to help yourself move forward? What about helping a child you care about put those pieces together? Lifebooks can help children who have been in foster care and those who have experienced adoption.…

Research has shown that parental involvement in childhood anxiety treatments is often a necessary condition for positive treatment response.  In fact, some research shows that younger children with anxiety (i.e., ages 3-8) who participate in an individual psychotherapy model that does not include parents fare no better than those in the waitlist/control group.  In recent…

When our sensory systems are overloaded or under stimulated it can be so hard to live life with ease and joy. But we're not just talking about the 5 senses here! Mya will help you understand what sensory processing is, what the signs are to indicate when our kids need support, and how we can…

This presentation will discuss the potential of art therapy techniques to support emotional regulation for children with a history of neurodevelopmental disabilities, trauma, and/or mental health challenges. Rebekah & Carolyn will present a brief art therapy program that was developed to reduce anxiety for autistic children and discuss how a similar program may be adapted…

In this workshop, we will delve into strategies for combating learned helplessness in young individuals. Our focus will be twofold: examining the factors that contribute to the development of learned helplessness in youth, and exploring the concept of learned optimism as its antithesis. Laura Thro M.P.S. focuses on healing after trauma by utilizing restorative and transformational…