Developmental Trauma & Attachment

A child’s brain undergoes significant changes in the first few years of life and is highly sensitive to their experiences and environment. Neurodevelopmental research has shown that traumatic events that occur in these first few years of life can have long-term impacts on emotional, mental, social, and physiological functioning later in life. This is especially likely if the events are severe, unpredictable, or persistent (Perry, 1994).

This workshop will introduce the neurobiological effects of early developmental trauma upon the brain and resultant behavior. Methods for effectively working with children and adults who have suffered from ongoing, recent and past neurodevelopmental trauma will be discussed.

The goal of this workshop is to give counsellors, therapists, social service and mental health care providers an understanding of trauma from an attachment perspective and to introduce effective interventions that incorporate the body, the mind and the emotions. This information will be of interest to anyone working with children, adolescents, adults and families.

Day 1 will cover the necessary material needed for effective assessment of both trauma and attachment, and how they intersect.  The latter portion of the day and the half day on the following day (Day 2) will focus on treatment interventions directly related to and linked with assessment findings.