How does trauma play into behavior and what can parents do to help? In this course, we interview Cameka Hart, Therapeutic Family Specialist at Buckner Children and Family Services; and Jennifer McCallum, Lead Post Adoption Counselor for Buckner Children and Family Services about strategies for putting Trust-Based Relational Intervention® into practice in your home.

Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI ®) was created by child psychologists Dr. Karyn Purvis and Dr. David Cross, co-authors of the popular parenting book “The Connected Child.” TBRI® is a research and evidence-based model of intervention for “children who come from hard places,” as Dr. Purvis refers to children who have experienced early risk factors such as abuse, neglect, prenatal exposure, early hospitalization, or other trauma — common for kids adopted from foster care or internationally.

TBRI® is built on three founding principles: connecting, empowering and correcting. The connecting principle tells us that kids who have not had their needs met in a consistent and loving manner will likely develop an “insecure attachment” with their caregivers.  It also informs us that our childhood relationships with our parents can deeply affect how we ourselves parent.  The empowering principle details how outside factors can impact and trigger a child’s behavior. The correcting principle provides parents with concrete, practical tools and strategies to help them manage their child’s behavior.

This course covers the following topics:

  • Core principles of Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) for parenting kids who have been abused and neglected
  • How to prevent the child from getting out of control?
  • What to do in the midst of a tantrum.
  • Anticipating what sets the child off. Hunger, stress, triggered memory, feeling out of control or threatened, transitions.
  • Transitions are hard for some kids.
  • The power allowing the child to re-do.
  • Different forms that a re-do can take.
  • Having children repair the harm they have caused.
  • Helping the child express their needs.
  • Helping a child regulate.
  • Brainstorm solutions.
  • Importance of playful interactions.
  • Importance of routines.
  • Importance of self-care for foster and adoptive parents.
  • How to cope with a child who is escalating and throwing a tantrum in public?
  • How to ground yourself in the midst of trying to cope with a tantrum.


*Your course will remain active for 180 days from purchase date.