Trauma-Informed Care Conference

8:55 a.m.

Opening Remarks

9:00 - 10:30 a.m.

“How did we get here?” Looking at the conditioning of American Society and the way out

Frank Grijlava, MCCS, MPH

The explosion in science of the last 30 years has helped us better understand the dynamics between the American culture of individualism, the idea of choice, and the use of coercion and consequences to extract behavior. For more than half a century now there has been a gradual conditioning that has led us to this time of strife that includes the decrease in family connection and the increase in human suffering, key events and reactions will be highlighted and examined for their contribution to the current state of American society.

10:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Attachment, Trauma and Neurodevelopment in Childhood: Clinical Approaches 

Karen Zilberstein, MSW, LICSW

For children with trauma histories, attachment often becomes organized around survival. Early caregiving experiences play a central role in shaping how children learn safety, regulation, and relationships. Neurodevelopmental differences, including autism and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD), may further complicate attachment and behavioral presentations. This session focuses on attachment-based and neurodevelopment-informed interventions for children with complex trauma, including clinical considerations related to Reactive Attachment Disorder (RAD) and Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder (DSED). Attention is given to attachment-based strategies addressing safety, regulation, and relational capacity in work with children and caregivers.

12:15 - 1:15 p.m.

Lunch on your own

1:15 - 2:45 p.m.

Calming the Storm: Trauma-Responsive Approaches for Working with High Acuity Youth in Out-of-Home Care

Shamra Boel-Studt, PhD, MSW

Designed for foster parents, residential staff, and child welfare professionals, this session addresses the realities of working with high-acuity youth. By focusing on the “how-to” of trauma-responsive care, this presentation offers practitioners knowledge and concrete tools to stabilize crises, strengthen relationships, and support healing for youth with high acuity needs.

3:00 - 4:30 p.m.

Using the Therapeutic Relationship as a Trauma-Informed Intervention 

Candice Selwyn, PhD

This workshop provides an overview of how the relationship between a clinician and client serves as one of the most powerful tools for healing trauma. By exploring how chronic stress and attachment issues shape the nervous system, participants will learn how to use co-regulation and emotional safety to help clients process difficult emotions. The session focuses on how small, intentional choices involving your tone of voice, pacing, and boundaries can be used strategically to build trust and help clients regain a sense of control. Ultimately, social workers will walk away with practical, hands-on skills to provide ethical and effective care, even when working in high-pressure or fast-paced clinical settings.