Establishing a Trauma-Informed Caregiver-Child Relationship in the Wake of Covid

Melissa Lunardini, MA, MBA, FT

Training Description

For some families, especially those with system involved youth, Covid-19 was the catalyst for nonstop stress, distress, and trauma. Literature shows that under persistent states of stress, family systems can become compromised in areas such as parenting practices, communication, routines, structure, and emotional cohesion (Sheidow, et al., 2014). Research suggests that strong family cohesion, positive parenting practices and structure are associated with building resiliency in youth (Haine, et al., 2008). Through incorporating the evidence-based framework of Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC), attendees will be able to increase their knowledge in these three domains and receive applicable strategies to utilize in a group or individual settings that help facilitate the restoration of familial cohesion between caregivers and youth (Blaustein & Kinniburgh, 2018). The ARC framework is effective with diverse populations, across various developmental stages, and can be applied in clinical and nonclinical settings (Arvidson, et al., 2011). This training will target how to help caregivers of system involved youth establish a trauma-informed caregiver-child relationship.

Learning Objectives

· Recall the 8-building blocks associated with the ARC framework and how they are applicable to the families you support.

· Implement strategies geared towards attachment, regulation, and competency.

· Receive an 8-week curriculum that you can implement within a group or individual setting that targets both the caregiver and youth concurrently.

Agenda 

1:00-1:10pm Welcome and housekeeping items

1:10- 1:15 pm Developmental deficits related to toxic stress

1:15-2:00pm Understanding the ARC Framework

2:00-2:45pm Incorporating ARC-based Strategies (8-week curriculum sample)

2:45- 2:55pm Questions

2:55pm-3:00pm Evaluation

Meet Our Trainer

Melissa Lunardini, MA, MBA, FT, is Founder and CEO of Radical Grief Consulting, an organization that enhances healthcare professionals and educators’ understanding of the foundational aspects of childhood grief and loss and

provides them with evidence-based interventions to reduce maladaptive behaviors in bereaved youth. Melissa has more than 15 years of experience in program design and development in grief, loss, and trauma for healthcare, academia, youth-based, NGOs and grief and loss-based industries. Her commitment to research in the field of childhood loss led to her being awarded a fellowship in Thanatology from the Association for Death Education and Counseling. A recognized specialist in childhood bereavement, Melissa strives to remain current with trends and research in the industry. She is a sought-after presenter on childhood trauma, grief, and loss both locally and nationally. Melissa is a member of the Board of Directors for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in San Diego. Melissa is currently pursuing a PhD in international psychology with a focus on trauma. She holds a MA in psychology from Chapman University and an MBA

and BA from California State University San Bernardino.

This course meets the qualifications for (2) BBS CEUs for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.