2-Day Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training: A Polyvagal-Informed Approach to Nurture Safety and Transform Trauma for Children and Families
- Speakers:
- Karen O'Neill, MA, BACP Psychotherapist | Tara McDonald, MA, BACP Psychotherapist
- Duration:
- 12 Hours 39 Minutes
- Language:
- Presented in EN, subtitles in EN and FR, handouts in EN and FR
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Copyright:
-
Jun 09, 2025
- Product Code:
- POS150191
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar
Description
Children who have experienced trauma often display behaviours that seem puzzling or self-defeating, distancing themselves from those who genuinely want to help.
They may even try to distance themselves from you
It’s easy to get stuck in a frustrating back-and-forth where you’re encouraging the very vulnerability that your client finds terrifying.
To truly support traumatised young clients, you need specialised and effective tools and strategies that go beyond words …
… to address the body’s autonomic response to perceived threat and concrete techniques that foster safety and co-regulation.
Watch Karen O’Neill and Tara McDonald. child psychotherapists and co-authors of A Polyvagal Informed Approach to Therapeutic Work with Children and Young People for this one-of-a-kind, highly experiential workshop to gain the skills you need to soothe the nervous system, nurture relationships, and foster resilience in children and adolescents who have experienced trauma.
Key Takeaways:
- Polyvagal Framework: Learn to decode behaviours by understanding the nervous system’s role in shaping response to perceived threats.
- Assessment Tools: Recognise differing sources of trauma, from traumatic birth experiences to physical abuse.
- Practical Interventions: Discover creative, actionable techniques to promote felt safety, self-regulation, and connection in therapy.
- Caregiver Collaboration: Empower parents and caregivers with strategies to support their child’s healing and relational growth.
- Therapist Well-Being: Build self-awareness and strategies to protect yourself from burnout and secondary trauma.
- Certification as a Child and Adolescent Trauma Professional (CATP): Elevate your practice and demonstrate your knowledge with this career-advancing credential. Application fee is included!
Whether you are new to working with traumatised children or having been practising for many years, this course provides a fresh lens and a Polyvagal-informed toolkit to truly connect with and support your young clients who are suffering.
Don’t miss this opportunity to make a profound impact - purchase today!
CERTIFICATION MADE SIMPLE!
- No hidden fees - PESI pays for your application fee (a $99.99 USD value)!
- Simply complete this event and the post-event evaluation included in this training, and your application to be Certified Child and Adolescent Trauma Professional (CATP) through Evergreen Certifications is complete.*
Attendees will receive documentation of CATP designation from Evergreen Certifications 4 to 6 weeks following the program.
*Professional standards apply. Visit ca.evgcert.com/catp for professional requirements .
Credit
Program Information
Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationshipsAll members of the PESI, Inc. planning committee have provided disclosures of financial relationships with ineligible organizations and any relevant non-financial relationships prior to planning content for this activity. None of the committee members had relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies or other potentially biasing relationships to disclose to learners. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography.
NOTE: Tuition includes one free CE Certificate (participant will be able to print the certificate of completion after passing the online post-test (80% passing score) and completing the evaluation). Instructional methods will include PowerPoint, didactic lecture, and others.
Continuing Education Information: Listed below are the continuing education credit(s) currently available for this non-interactive self-study package. Program content is reviewed periodically per accrediting board rules for currency and appropriateness for credit. Credit approvals are subject to change. Please note, your licensing board dictates whether self-study is an acceptable form of continuing education, as well as which credit types are acceptable for continuing education hours. Please refer to your licensing board's rules and regulations. If your profession is not listed, please contact your licensing board to determine your continuing education requirements and check for reciprocal approval.
For other credit inquiries not specified below, please contact info@pesi.com or 800-844-8260 before purchase.
Materials that are included in this course may include interventions and modalities that are beyond the authorized practice of your profession. As a licensed professional, you are responsible for reviewing the scope of practice, including activities that are defined in law as beyond the boundaries of practice in accordance with and in compliance with your profession's standards.
For Planning Committee disclosures, please see the statement above. For speaker disclosures, please see the faculty biography. Evergreen Certifications is owned by PESI, Inc.
Earn up to 12.5 CE hours. Please see below, for more details, as credit amounts vary by jurisdiction and profession.
PESI, Inc. is approved by the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association to offer continuing education for counsellors and psychotherapists. PESI, Inc. maintains responsibility for the program. This self-study activity is approved for 12.5 credit hours.
PESI, Inc. is approved by the Canadian Psychological Association to offer continuing education for psychologists. PESI, Inc. maintains responsibility for the program. This program is approved for 12.5 self-study continuing education hours. Full credit statement at: www.pesi.com/cpa-statement
This self-study activity qualifies for 12.5 continuing education clock hours as required by many national and local licensing boards and professional organizations. Save your activity advertisement and certificate of completion, and contact your own board or organization for specific requirements.
Handouts
| File type | File name | Number of pages | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual - Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training (1.8 MB) | 61 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Extra Handouts - Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training (188.9 KB) | 1 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Journey Worksheet (391 KB) | 1 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Extra Handouts - Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training - French (188.9 KB) | 1 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Journey Worksheet - French (391 KB) | 1 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training - French (1.8 MB) | 61 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Extra Handouts - Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training - Italian (188.9 KB) | 1 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Journey Worksheet - Italian (391 KB) | 1 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training - Italian (1.8 MB) | 61 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Extra Handouts - Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training - German (188.9 KB) | 1 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Journey Worksheet - German (391 KB) | 1 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training - German (1.8 MB) | 61 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Extra Handouts - Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training - Spanish (188.9 KB) | 1 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Journey Worksheet - Spanish (391 KB) | 1 Pages | Available after Purchase | |
| Manual - Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training - Spanish (1.8 MB) | 61 Pages | Available after Purchase |
Speaker
Karen O'Neill, MA, BACP Psychotherapist Related seminars and products
Karen O’Neill, MA Psychotherapist, Child Therapist, EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner, is an adult psychotherapist, child therapist, parent-infant therapist and EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner. She is based in the UK where she offers psychotherapy to individuals of all ages as well as clinical supervision and consultancy work. Her special interest is working with parent-child dyads to strengthen the relationship between them.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Karen O'Neill is the founder and director of Counselling Solutions and the co-founder and director of PIP Solutions Training, Ltd. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Karen O'Neill is a member of the EMDR Association UK, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and Play Therapy United Kingdom.
Tara McDonald, MA, BACP Psychotherapist Related seminars and products
Tara McDonald, MA Psychotherapist, Child Therapist, Certified Clinical Trauma Practitioner, is a child therapist, adult psychotherapist and clinical supervisor based in the UK. She works with individuals of all ages through a polyvagal and attachment-focused lens. Her passion is in supporting parents and carers who might be experiencing difficulties or hurt in their journey as a parent.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Tara McDonald is the Co-Founder and Director of PIP Solutions Training, LTD. and has an employment relationship with Hatch Counselling Services. She receives royalties as a published author. Tara McDonald receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Tara McDonald has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Additional Info
Program Information
Questions?Visit our FAQ page at https://www.pesicanada.ca/faq or contact us at https://www.pesicanada.ca/contact-us.
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)
Access never expires for this product.
Objectives
- Examine the core principles of the Polyvagal Theory in therapeutic work with children, adolescents, and families.
- Identify the physiological impacts of trauma on the developing brain.
- Examine the intersection of attachment theory and Polyvagal Theory in understanding relational dynamics.
- Identify the signs of autonomic nervous system dysregulation in young clients.
- Determine the role of co-regulation in fostering resilience and emotional safety.
- Evaluate the impact of environmental safety cues on a child’s ability to self-regulate.
- Choose Polyvagal-informed interventions to support nervous system regulation.
- Identify creative techniques, including metaphor-based activities, to help children and adolescents navigate their nervous system responses.
- Integrate sensory-based, movement-oriented, and expressive arts interventions to enhance engagement.
- Develop therapist self-regulation strategies to enhance presence in trauma-informed care.
- Utilise Polyvagal-informed psychoeducation with caregivers to provide practical regulation strategies.
- Use case-based examples to assess autonomic state shifts and tailor interventions to individual client needs.
Outline
The Neurophysiology of TraumaImpact on brain, nervous system, and body
- 3 brain structures altered by trauma
- Susceptibility of the developing brain
- Attachment and bonding
- Felt safety
- Behavioural responses
- Coping strategies
- Neuropathways – setpoints and malleability
- Physical manifestations of trauma
- Sources of physical trauma including traumatic birth, reflux, NICU, and more
Viewing dysregulation as a survival response
- Core concepts of the polyvagal theory
- The role of the autonomic nervous system in trauma responses
- ANS ‘A’ States: Awake, alarm, avoid
- How nervous system states influence behaviour and relationships
- Research limitations and potential risks
- Experiential activities; Real-time application of strategies
The fallout of trauma
- Recognise states of safety, fight/flight, and shutdown
- Child Social Engagement Capacity Questionnaire (CSECQ) ©
- Physiological Markers Checklist©
- Crittenden’s Dynamic Maturation Model of Attachment
- The common co-morbidities of trauma
- Tools to differentiate between trauma, ADHD, anxiety, and more
- From assessment to treatment plan
- Collaborative case study
From dysregulation to safety and connection
- Co-regulation and trust-building activities
- Where Have You Journeyed Today
- Safe harbors
- Activities to support emotional safety and regulation
- Animal Instincts and Ladder of Responses
- The Smoke Alarm of the Brain
- Interventions to support emotional resilience:
- Mapping My Body
- Help Me Be Seen
- Somatic strategies for helping clients transition from survival mode to safety
- Polyvagal theory and creative therapies
- Integrate polyvagal theory into talk therapy sessions
- Experiential activities: Real-time application of strategies
- Empower parents to manage their own nervous system states
- Activities to help parents identify their children’s protective positions
- Top five parent-child co-regulation activities
- Collaborative case study
- Explore your own nervous system’s impact on therapy
- The importance of co-regulation between therapist and client
- Self-assessment tools for nervous system
- Techniques for maintaining therapeutic presence under stress
- Live demonstration: Supervision session
Target Audience
- Counsellors
- Social Workers
- School Counsellors
- School Social Workers
- Play Therapists
- Psychologists
- Case Managers
- Addiction Counsellors
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Nurses
- Other Mental Health Professionals
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