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Digital Seminar

Certified Child & Adolescent Trauma Professional Training: A Polyvagal-Informed Approach to Nurture Safety and Transform Trauma for Children and Families


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Not yet rated
Speakers:
Karen O'Neill, MA, BACP Psychotherapist |  Tara McDonald, MA, BACP Psychotherapist
Duration:
12 Hours 39 Minutes
Copyright:
09 Jun, 2025
Product Code:
POS150191
Media Type:
Digital Seminar
Access:
Never expires.


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 value)!
  • Simply complete this live 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 www.evergreencertifications.com/CATP for professional requirements .

CPD

Planning Committee Disclosure - No relevant relationships

All 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.



CPD

This online program is worth 12.75 hours CPD.



Handouts

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 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's Profile

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 from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Tara McDonald has no relevant non-financial relationships.

 


Additional Info

Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)

Access never expires for this product.

For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com


Objectives

  1. Examine the core principles of the Polyvagal Theory in therapeutic work with children, adolescents, and families.
  2. Identify the physiological impacts of trauma on the developing brain.
  3. Examine the intersection of attachment theory and Polyvagal Theory in understanding relational dynamics.
  4. Identify the signs of autonomic nervous system dysregulation in young clients.
  5. Determine the role of co-regulation in fostering resilience and emotional safety.
  6. Evaluate the impact of environmental safety cues on a child’s ability to self-regulate.
  7. Choose Polyvagal-informed interventions to support nervous system regulation.
  8. Identify creative techniques, including metaphor-based activities, to help children and adolescents navigate their nervous system responses.
  9. Integrate sensory-based, movement-oriented, and expressive arts interventions to enhance engagement.
  10. Develop therapist self-regulation strategies to enhance presence in trauma-informed care.
  11. Utilise Polyvagal-informed psychoeducation with caregivers to provide practical regulation strategies.
  12. Use case-based examples to assess autonomic state shifts and tailor interventions to individual client needs.

Outline

The Neurophysiology of Trauma
Impact 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
Polyvagal Theory in Clinical Practice
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
Assessment and Differential Diagnosis
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
Polyvagal-Informed Interventions for Children and Adolescents
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
Supporting Parents Through a Polyvagal Lens
  • 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
Therapist Self-Regulation and Presence
  • 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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