Description
This workshop will explore the role of joy in attachment relationships and in healing. It will examine ways of incorporating joy into treatment sessions and into the daily lives of children, adolescents, and families without minimizing traumatic impact or dismissing the pain clients are experiencing. Using both didactic and interactive approaches, the trainer will explore the role of joy in responding to pain, loss, and shame. The skills and ideas discussed have been gathered during 30 years of clinical practice, and are based on research, theory, and practice in the areas of Child and Adolescent Trauma Treatment, Phase Oriented Treatment, Attachment Therapies, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Emotionally Focused Family Therapy, and Interpersonal Neurobiology. Traumatic events, and even more so, traumatic childhoods, rob people of the natural joy and wonder of life. Treatment should not do the same.
Learning Outcomes
- Define the concept of joy in healing from trauma.
- Explain the relationship between early trauma, impact on the brain, and the experience of joy in young trauma survivors.
- Apply specific attachment focused techniques that increase the experience of joy in trauma treatment.
- Identify specific techniques and interventions to support families to re-experience the joy of connection and relationship.
- Recognize the importance of balancing joy and pain when working with trauma survivors and their families.
Who Should Attend
This course is recommended for clinicians and practitioners who work with children and adolescents who may have experienced trauma or significant attachment disruptions.
Course Dates & Format
There are no scheduled dates for this course at this time, however in-service is available.
This is a 3-hour training. This course consists of a single 3-hour interactive virtual sessions using Zoom.
Instructor: Niki Gomez-Perales, MSW, RSW
Niki Gomez-Perales is a recognized expert in the areas of children’s mental health, complex trauma, attachment and dissociation. Niki completed her B.S.W. from McMaster University in 1986 and her M.S.W. from the University of Toronto in 1991. She has more than 30 years of experience in the fields of child welfare and children’s mental health. For the past 25 years Niki has worked as a therapist at a Children’s Mental Health clinic in Hamilton Ontario.
Niki has lectured on Complex Trauma and Attachment with the ISST-D, the ESTD, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the European Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Association for Training on Trauma and Attachment in Children, Safeguards Training for Children and Adult Services and the Ontario College of Social Workers and Social Service Workers. She has special interests in the areas of Interpersonal Neurobiology, Polyvagal Theory, Somatic Experiencing, Early and Pre-verbal Trauma and Attachment.
Niki has advanced training in EMDR, Clinical Hypnosis, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy and Emotionally Focused Family Therapy. She is an active member and Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation and a winner of the ISSTD 2016 written media award for her book, “Attachment-Focused Trauma Treatment for Children and Adolescents: Phase-Oriented Strategies for Addressing Complex Trauma Disorders,” (2015. Routledge).
Training Fee
Group Registration: Save 20% off individual fees with a group registration of 4 or more participants. Download the group registration form HERE.
Continuing Education Information
Licensing boards and professional organizations will grant Continuing Education credits for attendance at their discretion when participants submit the course outline and certificate.
In-Service
This is available as an in-person or virtual in-service training and customized to suit your needs.
