Trauma-Focused Sensory Integration Workshop
What are we offering?
We are offering an interactive workshop for parents who would like to learn simple sensory and motor tools to support their children to cope well in the challenges of daily life and relationships.
This is especially helpful if the child has experienced early developmental trauma but the session is open to all.
Why is it important?
Adversity and trauma experienced in infancy shape a child’s course of development and affect the healthy development of key systems needed to support regulation in all areas of function and connection (Blaustein, 2014).
We see this in the daily struggles of children with developmental trauma, as they battle to adapt in the face of the daily sensory and motor demands of school, home and daily living. Their body, mind and brain systems are not wired to cope, and this shows up in what presents as behavioural, emotional and relational challenges.
So, what can we do?
We start by restoring the underpinning sensory and motor responses that enable children to function well and adapt to the demands of daily life and connect with others.
We work with simple activities that support the development of the connection between brain areas that are crucial to regulation and connection, and are known to be damaged by early life trauma and stress.
What will you learn about?
The importance of developing or repairing foundational sensory and motor systems in children who have experienced early life trauma and stress.
How trauma affects sensory processing in young children and adults.Why daily activities can be so challenging for children with trauma related sensory struggles and what we can do to help.The science behind what we are doing and why simple movements can make such a huge difference.
What will it be like?
It will be a mix of shared experience, theory and practical applied learning.
We will talk about our experience of working with simple movement tools to bring a felt sense of safety to the body – which is an experience that tends to be hijacked by trauma and stress.
We will demonstrate how to use tools that support children’s foundational motor systems.
The session will have interactive activities so you can learn – you can join in as much or as little as you want to. It might be useful to wear trousers or clothes you can move around in easily.
Speakers
Andrea Richards MSc – An occupational therapist with specialisms in trauma, attachment building, sensory integration, and developmental movement – full bio
Michelle Herring MBE – A single adoptive parent to a child with SEN and developmental trauma, and a parent therapy ‘provider’ – full bio
What parents who attended previously said
“Brilliant workshop. Very informative. Enjoyed the movements and purchased a gym ball the next day. My kids love it, and it really helps to regulate them. The workshop was really useful in helping me to understand my son’s response to stress and anxiety in particular in relation to his emotional based school avoidance. Thank you.”
“I can’t thank you Michelle and Andrea enough. To provide the knowledge and information to parents is something so needed. Alot of the me as I am sure you well know, you find yourself winging it, trial and error, maybe this works today and not tomorrow. But what I can say is as a direct acon to aending your session my son’s life has changed for the better. But it gave me the knowledge and empowered me to advocate for his needs and stop him being traumatised every single day. I cannot thank you enough.”
