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Full Course Description

Harnessing AI, VR, and the Metaverse in Therapy: Innovations for Treating Youth Trauma, Anxiety, and Depression

In today's fast-paced world, youth are increasingly impacted by trauma, anxiety, depression, and stress, leaving you with the challenge of finding effective and innovative treatment strategies.  

Enter AI, VR, and the Metaverse—cutting-edge technologies that can transform how we address these conditions. But with these innovations comes a new set of considerations. How do we leverage these tools while maintaining clinical integrity and understanding their effects on young minds? 

In this cutting-edge session, you’ll learn to: 

  • Select the most effective technology-driven interventions in therapy for youth with trauma, anxiety, depression, and stress 
  • Use customizable therapeutic exposure tasks, monitor progress in real-time, and adapt treatment plans dynamically 
  • Apply technology to address social trauma, promote self-regulation, emotional resilience, and healing 
  • Understand the neurological foundations of mental health conditions, including the prefrontal cortex, neurotransmitter imbalances, and neuroplasticity 

Through hands-on case studies, you’ll be able to directly assess how AI, VR, and the Metaverse can be used to tailor interventions that meet the unique needs of each young client. You'll leave this session with actionable strategies to enhance your clinical practice and offer an innovative approach to trauma-informed care. 

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Determine how depression, anxiety, stress, and childhood trauma influence the selection of technology-based interventions in treatment planning.
  2. Evaluate the effectiveness of incorporating Metaverse and AI technologies into treatment plans for youth with trauma, anxiety, depression.
  3. Utilize case study to demonstrate the integration of AI, VR, and the Metaverse in clinical practice.

Outline

Introduction to Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Childhood Trauma and Social Trauma

  • Diagnosis overview
  • The impact on the nervous system
  • Review of the neurological underpinnings of depression, anxiety, stress, and childhood trauma
  • Social Trauma and how it intersects with depression, anxiety, stress, and childhood trauma
  • How technology impacts the nervous system

The Opportunities to Incorporate Technology into Support Approaches for Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and Childhood Trauma

  • What is the Metaverse
  • How does AI intersect with the Metaverse
  • The role of social context in trauma
  • Technology powered approaches for assessment and intervention planning
    • Immersion therapy
    • Task management tools
    • Mobile apps
    • Cognitive training tools
    • Emotional regulation tools
    • Support systems
  • Limitations and Risks

Applying Our Knowledge

  • Ethical considerations
  • Case scenarios
  • Adolescent male with a late age diagnosis of depression, anxiety, stress, and childhood trauma transitioning from high school to living independently and gaining employment
  • Elementary school age male with a history of trauma and is individuals experiencing depression,     anxiety, stress, and childhood trauma
  • Self-assessment of knowledge gained

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professionals 
  • Case Managers 
  • Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors 
  • Marriage & Family Therapists 
  • Occupational Therapists 
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants 
  • Psychologists 
  • School Administrators 
  • Social Workers 
  • Speech-Language Pathologists 
  • Teachers/School-Based Personnel 

Copyright : 08/13/2025

Brain-Based Boundary Setting: Strategies for Supporting Dysregulated Children Without Shame or Rupture

Join Lisa Dion, creator of Synergetic Play Therapy, to explore how to set boundaries with children—one of the most challenging aspects of therapy. You may struggle with internal conflict, wondering if you're setting a boundary because it’s truly needed or because you think you “should.”

Together, we’ll dive into boundary-setting from a neurobiological perspective, considering the child’s brain and nervous system activation. Using Interpersonal Neurobiology and Synergetic Play Therapy, you’ll learn how to set boundaries that foster deeper connection without disrupting the child’s process.

You will learn to:

  • Set boundaries effectively without shaming or shutting down a child
  • Define "emotional flooding" and manage it in sessions
  • Understand how your own window of tolerance impacts boundary-setting

This session will equip you with practical tools to set compassionate, effective boundaries that strengthen both the child and therapeutic relationship.

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Demonstrate at least 2 strategies for setting boundaries without shaming or shutting down a child.
  2. Define "emotional flooding," and identify at least 2 strategies to employ when this happens in sessions.
  3. Describe how the clinicians’s own window of tolerance influences the need to set a boundary in a session.

Outline

Exploring Boundary Setting 

  • Why boundaries are important 
  • A Neurobiological Approach for Setting Boundaries 
  • When to set boundaries 

Ways to Set Boundaries 

  • Using gestures 
  • Bringing in Containment 
  • Using Words 

Emotional Flooding 

  • What is emotional flooding 
  • What to do when the child emotionally floods 
  • What to do when the clinician emotionally floods 
  • Limitations and risks when there are safety concerns 

Target Audience

  • Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors 
  • Marriage & Family Therapists 
  • Occupational Therapists 
  • Psychologists 
  • School Administrators 
  • Social Workers 
  • Speech-Language Pathologists 
  • Teachers/School-Based Personnel 

Copyright : 08/13/2025

The Whole-Brain Child Approach with Dan Siegel: Nurturing Resilient, Playful Minds in an Anxious, Screen-Filled World

Children today face increased anxiety, reduced play, and excessive screen exposure, all of which affect their emotional regulation, cognitive flexibility, and relational development.  

Join Dr. Dan Siegel for an inspirational workshop where he equips you with a practical framework to address these challenges, integrating the Patterns of Developmental Pathways (PDP) model with Whole-Brain Child strategies. 

Grounded in interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB), attachment theory, and developmental neuroscience, this session provides tools to help children build emotional balance, strengthen executive function, and foster healthy relationships. Therapists will gain clinical insights and evidence-based interventions to support neural integration, resilience, and whole-child development. 

You’ll learn: 

  • Practical strategies to enhance emotional regulation and executive function 
  • Techniques to strengthen caregiver-child relationships using IPNB principles 
  • Interventions to promote neural integration and resilience in therapy 
  • Tools for applying the PDP model alongside Whole-Brain Child strategies 

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Understand the impact of chronic stress, decreased play, and excessive screen exposure on children's brain development through the lens of the PDP model and Whole-Brain Child principles. 
  2. Apply Whole-Brain Child strategies to support emotional regulation, executive function, and resilience in therapy with children and families. 
  3. Integrate the PDP model to tailor interventions that foster neural integration and support children in developing a cohesive sense of self despite environmental stressors. 

Outline

Introduction

  • Brief overview of current challenges in child development: chronic stress, reduced play, and excessive screen exposure.
  • Introduction to Whole-Brain Child strategies and the PDP model as frameworks for intervention.

Understanding the Impact of Modern Stressors on Children's Brains 

  • The neuroscience of stress, play, and screen exposure. 
  • The role of integration in emotional and cognitive development (linking left-right, top-bottom, and interoceptive-exteroceptive processing). 

Applying Whole-Brain Child Strategies in Therapy 

  • Strategies for fostering emotional regulation (e.g., "Name It to Tame It" and "Engage, Don’t Enrage"). 
  • Tools for building executive function (e.g., reframing "discipline" as skill-building rather than punishment).

Integrating the PDP Model for Tailored Interventions 

  • How the PDP model helps therapists assess individual developmental pathways in children. 
  • Case examples illustrating the use of PDP-informed interventions. 

Insights from Personality and Wholeness in Therapy 

  • Understanding the 9 patterns of developmental pathways and their relevance in child development. 
  • How these patterns inform personality formation and therapeutic approaches. 

Practical Strategies for a Screen-Saturated, Play-Deprived World 

  • Techniques to increase play-based experiences in therapy and at home. 
  • Navigating family resistance to screen-time limits and play promotion. 

Attachment, Regulation, and Personality Development 

  • The role of early relational experiences in shaping children's personality and self-regulation. 
  • How therapists can support caregivers in fostering secure attachment relationships. 
  • Risks and limitations for navigating boundaries of attachment work, addressing caregiving readiness and capacity.

Q & A

 

Closing

Target Audience

  • Mental health professionals working with children and families (e.g., therapists, counselors, psychologists, social workers). 
  • Educators seeking neuroscience-informed strategies to support children's development. 
  • Pediatric healthcare providers interested in a whole-child approach to emotional regulation. 

Copyright : 08/13/2025

Partnering with Parents for an Attachment-Focused Approach: Strengthening Trust, Collaboration, & Buy-In

Strengthening a child’s emotional well-being starts with their most important relationships—but gaining caregiver buy-in for an attachment-focused approach can be challenging. Resistance, skepticism, or past relational wounds may create barriers, making it difficult for caregivers to fully engage in the therapeutic process. 

Join Eli Harwood, author of Raising Securely Attached Kids, for an insightful session where you’ll learn practical strategies to bridge this gap with confidence, compassion, and creativity. 

In this session, you'll discover how to: 

  • Establish trust and empathy with even the most hesitant or resistant caregivers 
  • Translate attachment research into accessible, real-world strategies caregivers can embrace 
  • Guide caregivers in setting meaningful relationship goals that foster lasting change 
  • Navigate difficult conversations while reinforcing the importance of connection and co-regulation 

When caregivers feel understood and empowered, they become active participants in the healing process—allowing children to grow, thrive, and develop secure attachments that last a lifetime. 

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Establish empathy and trust with even the most challenging caregivers.
  2. Determine treatment-specific relationship goals for caregivers based on attachment research.
  3. Use accessible language to build caregiver confidence and buy-in for an attachment focused approach.

Outline

Building Caregiver Confidence in an Attachment-Focused Mission

  • Accessible language to foster buy-in and highlight the power of secure relationships in a child's healing

Validate Caregiver Experiences with Empathy and Attunement

  • Create safety and deepen therapeutic alliance by reflecting struggles without judgment

Caring for the Child within the Caregiver

  • Address how caregivers' own attachment histories shape their ability to co-regulate and connect

Collaborative Goal Setting and Treatment Planning

  • Shift from behavioral outcomes to goals centered on connection, safety, and emotional development

Resources for Caregivers and Clinicians

Risks and limitations

  • Navigate relational barriers
  • Identify and respond to caregiver resistance, disconnection, or trauma through an attachment lens

 

Target Audience

  • Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors 
  • Marriage & Family TherapistsAddiction Professionals 
  • Case Managers 
  • Dieticians 
  • Occupational Therapists 
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants 
  • Physical Therapists 
  • Physical Therapist Assistants 
  • Psychologists 
  • School Administrators 
  • Social Workers 
  • Speech-Language Pathologists 
  • Teachers/School-Based Personnel 
  • Nurses 

Copyright : 08/13/2025

From Survival to Strength: Helping Kids Manage Stress and Develop Resilient Minds

Children today face unprecedented stress and emotional challenges, making it essential to find effective, science-backed solutions. 

Join renowned neuroscientist, best-selling author, and trauma expert Kate Truitt, PhD, for a powerful training on neuroplasticity-based interventions tailored for early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence. 

In this engaging workshop, you’ll discover: 

  • The amygdala’s role in stress regulation and emotional development 
  • Hands-on techniques and mindful touch interventions to help young clients build self-awareness, resilience, and strength 
  • Co-regulation strategies to engage parents and caregivers 

Through experiential exercises, you’ll leave with a ready-to-use clinical toolkit—equipped with practical skills to create safety, support emotional regulation, and empower children to thrive. 

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Explain the core principles of neuroplasticity and how they apply to building resilience in children and adolescents.
  2. Integrate strategies to build resilience and emotional regulation into clinical or educational practice.
  3. Assess the appropriateness of neuroplasticity-based interventions for different client presentations and developmental levels.

Outline

Part I: Foundations of Emotional Resilience and Neuroplasticity 

  • Understand the amygdala’s role in stress, survival, and emotional regulation. 
  • Discover how neuroplasticity and mindful touch create opportunities for lasting emotional growth. 
  • Experiential Exercise: Neuroplasticity plus mindful touch practice to regulate emotional responses and calm the amygdala. 

Part II: Tools for Every Developmental Stage 

  • Equip children and adolescents with tools to strengthen reduce stress, enhance emotional regulation, and build resilience. 
  • Tailor neuroplasticity-based and mindful touch interventions to specific age groups. 
    • Review of how to integrate the tools into different developmental stages: 
      • Early Childhood 
      • Middle Childhood 
      • Adolescence 
  • Experiential Exercise: Creating Positive Possibilities for Resilience Development 

Part III: Building Bridges with Parents and Caregivers 

  • Help parents understand the amygdala’s role in emotional regulation. 
  • Equip parents with tools to model and support mindful touch and self-regulation at home. 
  • Experiential Exercises: Push Pause Tool and Brain Game Practice 

Part IV: Conclusion and Actionable Takeaways 

  • Summarize key points and ensure participants leave with actionable tools. 
  • Review of risks and limitations of the research and techniques/tools taught 
  • Review the Brain Partnership Toolkit of neuroplasticity-based tools and interventions. 

Target Audience

  • Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors 
  • Marriage & Family Therapists 
  • Social Workers 
  • Psychologists 
  • Teachers/School-Based Personnel 
  • School Administrators 
  • Addiction Professionals 
  • Occupational Therapists 
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants 
  • Physical Therapists 
  • Physical Therapist Assistants 
  • Speech-Language Pathologists 
  • Nurses 
  • Case Managers 
  • Dieticians 

Copyright : 08/14/2025

Culturally Responsive Suicide Prevention: Helping Marginalized Youth Move from Risk to Resilience

Suicide among marginalized youth is a growing crisis, disproportionately affecting Black, Indigenous, LGBTQ+, and socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Many clinicians lack culturally competent strategies to assess risk, intervene effectively, and provide long-term support. 

In this training, Dr. Webb will teach you: 

  • Unique risk factors and warning signs of suicide in marginalized youth 
  • Culturally responsive interventions tailored to diverse populations 
  • Actionable strategies to foster resilience and support systems within your practice 

Through real-world case studies, interactive discussions, and trauma-informed approaches, you’ll leave equipped with tools to identify at-risk youth and provide evidence-based, compassionate care. 

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Identify the social, cultural, and systemic risk factors contributing to suicide in marginalized youth.
  2. Apply evidence-based and culturally competent assessment and intervention strategies.
  3. Develop collaborative prevention plans incorporating family, community, and school-based resources.

Outline

Part 1 – Youth Mental Health

  • Trauma and attachment
    • Neurological effects of trauma exposure
    • Observable signs and symptoms of trauma and traumatic stress in students
    • Behavioral manifestations of trauma and traumatic stress in students
    • Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) scores meaning and their impact
    • The impact trauma and attachment has on children’s relationship with adults
    • Interventions for adults to build trust-based relationships with children
  • Anxiety disorders
    • Sources of anxiety and DSM-5® classification of disorders
    • Self-management skills for stress and anxiety regulation
    • Coping skills for youth
  • Managing challenging behaviors and extreme emotions
  • Suicide and self-harm
Part 2 – Navigating Youth Mental Health in Today’s Educational Setting
  • Integrating student mental health into virtual and/or physical classrooms
    • The impact of routine disruption on mental health
    • Individual interventions for students struggling the most
    • Connecting students and parents/caregivers with outside resources for counseling and support
  • Provider self-care and support

Risks and Limitations

Target Audience

  • Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors 
  • Social Workers 
  • Psychologists 
  • Marriage & Family Therapists 
  • School Administrators 
  • Teachers/School-Based Personnel 
  • Case Managers 
  • Nurses 

Copyright : 08/14/2025

Healing in a Flash: Integrating Flash Technique & EMDR to Accelerate Trauma Recovery for Kids

Children seek safety, connection, and relief from distressing experiences—but developing nervous systems process trauma differently than adults.  

Traditional reprocessing techniques don’t always work, requiring creative, developmentally appropriate approaches to healing. 

In this training Christine will teach you how to: 

  • Adapt the Flash Technique and EMDR to meet the unique needs of children 
  • Use playful and creative interventions that make trauma processing more effective  
  • Integrate these techniques seamlessly into your existing therapeutic model 

The Flash Technique is an evidence-based tool that can be integrated with EMDR and adapted to a child’s developmental stage, play style, and capacity for engagement.  

Leave this training inspired and equipped with new interventions that will transform how you approach trauma therapy with children—unlocking powerful pathways to healing. 

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Distinguish developmentally appropriate applications of the Flash Technique for children.
  2. Summarize child-friendly games, art, and movement-based strategies to enhance engagement in the Flash Technique.
  3. Evaluate how Flash Technique can be integrated within EMDR therapy for elementary-aged children.

Outline

A Playful Story Illustrating the Power of Flash Technique & EMDR 

A Playful Overview of EMDR  

  • EMDR’s Eight Phases in child-friendly language 
  • Creative ways to modify BLS for different developmental levels 
  • Integrating expressive arts, sand tray, and storytelling with EMDR 

Part 2: Flash Technique as a Fun Way to Integrate in EMDR

  • History, research, and foundations of the Flash Technique 
  • Developmental considerations for Flash (storytelling, BLS, attention span) 
  • Adapting Flash Technique to be playful & engaging for kids 
  • Using props, movement, and expressive arts to modify Flash 

Part 3: Integrating Flash & EMDR with Kids and Their Caregivers – "Healing Happens Together" 

  • Engaging caregivers in the EMDR process 
  • Involving grown-ups the Flash process 
  • Teaching parents playful co-regulation and interactive ways to reinforce EMDR & Flash at home 

Risks and Limitations

Target Audience

  • Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors 
  • Marriage & Family Therapists 
  • Psychologists 
  • School Administrators 
  • Social Workers 
  • Teachers/School-Based Personnel 

Copyright : 08/14/2025

Innovations and Applications for Youth Mental Health – A Conversation

At a time of increased acuity and strained resources, integrating the most effective evidence-based practices is more critical than ever to support children and teens in preventing and treating mental health challenges.

That’s why we’re bringing together two of the most respected experts in the field, Drs. Eboni Webb and Chris Willard, for this must-see conversation. They’ll break down the most impactful insights and innovations shared over the last two days, while sharing their own practical strategies and expertise.

This session will be the culmination of everything you’ve learned, equipping you with actionable takeaways to immediately transform your work with children and families!

Program Information

Objectives

After the presentation, you will be able to:

  1. Describe the most recent neuroscience and attachment research as it relates to mental health and behavioral challenges.
  2. Utilize new evidence-based techniques in your treatment.
  3. Share knowledge and practice with colleagues, caregivers, and other supports
  4. Understand new ways to use technology in treatment.

Outline

Dr. Willard and Dr. Webb will help clinicians distill key research and techniques from the two-day conference, making them more accessible and practical for real-world application.

Throughout the event, we’ve explored groundbreaking insights, including:

  • The role of attachment in personality development
  • EMDR techniques for trauma treatment
  • Effective suicide prevention strategies
  • Trauma-informed interventions
  • The impact of AI and the Metaverse on mental health treatment
  • And more!

Target Audience

  • Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors
  • Psychologists
  • School Administrators
  • Social Workers
  • Teachers/School-Based Personnel
  • Marriage & Family Therapists
  • Nurses
  • Speech-Language Pathologists
  • Addiction Professionals
  • Case Managers
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Physical Therapists
  • Physical Therapist Assistants
  • Dieticians
  • Nursing Home/Assisted Living Administrators

Copyright : 08/14/2025

Healthy Sleep, Healthy Minds: The Vital Connection Between Sleep and Mental Health in Young Clients

Sleep is a cornerstone of mental health that is underrecognized and undertreated. Many children and adolescents struggle with sleep disturbances that contribute to anxiety, depression, inattention, and behavioral challenges.  

As child health providers, understanding the intersection of sleep and psychological well-being is crucial for effective assessment and intervention. 

This evidence-based workshop is designed to deepen your knowledge of sleep science and its impact on mental health. We’ll explore: 

  • The neurobiology of sleep and its role in emotional regulation and cognitive functioning 
  • How sleep disturbances present in anxiety, depression, ADHD, and trauma-related disorders 
  • Screening tools for identifying sleep-related concerns 
  • Clinical strategies for improving sleep hygiene and overall mental health 
  • The “good, better, best” approach to sleep habits (i.e. where the ideal meets the real) 
  • The influence of technology, social stressors, and developmental changes on sleep patterns 

By the end of this session, you’ll be equipped with practical, research-backed approaches to addressing sleep concerns, ultimately supporting better mental health outcomes for children and teens. Age-appropriate handouts for families will be provided. 

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Characterize the relationship between sleep and youth mental health.
  2. Determine the biopsychosocial factors that impact sleep.
  3. Describe healthy sleep in children and adolescents.
  4. Recognize common childhood sleep disorders.
  5. Screen for sleep problems in your practice and identify when and where to refer.
  6. Describe diagnosis and empirically supported treatment of insomnia.
  7. Include basic elements of good sleep hygiene into your treatment plans.
  8. Examine the importance of tailoring sleep interventions to specific populations.

Outline

Role of Sleep in Youth Mental Health 

  • Sleep relates to top 3 leading causes of mortality in teens, how? 
  • Bidirectional relationship between sleep and mental health in terms of: 
    • Anxiety 
      • OCD 
      • PTSD 
    • Depression 
    • Inattention and hyperactivity 
  • Sleep and developmental conditions such as Autism and ADHD 
  • Suicidality 
  • Other risk-taking behaviors 

Factors Influencing Sleep 

  • Biopsychosocial factors 
  • Sleep physiology 
  • How do these change with development? 
  • Sleep stages relate to sleeping through the night 
  • You can’t force sleep, but you can force wake 
  • Blue light, melatonin, and night mode 

What is Healthy Sleep? 

  • Definition from pediatric sleep experts 
  • BSATED model (6 pillars of sleep health) 
  • Duration and variability 

Common Sleep Disorders in Childhood 

  • Medical sleep disorders 
  • Behavioral sleep disorders 
  • Psychological and medical conditions that cause sleep problems 

Assessing Sleep 

  • How to screen for sleep disorders as a non-medical provider 
  • When and where to refer 
  • Measurement of sleep 
    • Laboratory sleep studies such as polysomnography and how to prepare 
    • What about wearables? 
  • 24-hour sleep interview 

Diagnosing and Treating Insomnia 

  • Medical and psychological criteria 
  • Behavioral insomnia vs. primary insomnia 
  • 3P Model of insomnia 
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia 
    • Adaptations for children 

Importance of Good Sleep Hygiene and Routine 

  • Overwhelming research on bedtime routines 
  • What is a good bedtime routine anyway? 
    • Sample bedtime chart 
    • Creative ways to get through the routine 
  • What is sleep hygiene 
  • Are electronics really so bad? 

Tailoring Sleep Recommendations to Psychological and Developmental Conditions 

  • Trauma informed sleep interventions, 4 C Model 
  • Cultural factors 
    • Geographic, ethnic, religious preferences 
    • Special populations (LGBTQ+, foster children, unhoused) 
  • Developmental factors 
    • Sleep in neurodevelopmental conditions 
    • Sample social story 

Risk and Limitations of Sleep Research and Interventions 

  • Research limitations and future directions 
  • Risk and limitations of current empirically supported interventions 

Target Audience

  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors
  • Marriage & Family Therapists
  • Social Workers
  • Case Managers
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Speech-Language Pathologists

Copyright : 03/19/2025

Food, Mood, and Mental Health: The Missing Links in Treating Kids and Teens

Poor nutrition doesn’t just impact physical health—it disrupts mood, behavior, and brain function, creating a ripple effect that shapes a child’s relationships, school performance, and emotional well-being.  

Join Terri Samuels, Nationally Certified Mental Health Counselor, to discover how assessing nutrition deficits and stimulating the Vagas nerve can transform mental health outcomes for children and adolescents.  

In this session you’ll learn to: 

  • Evaluate how certain foods play a role in a child’s microbiome and analyze how it affects their mood 
  • Understand how hormones in adolescents play a key role in mental health and gut health 
  • Facilitate conversation with school personnel in creating a healthier lunchroom environment 
  • Guide parents and caregivers in creating personalized plans for better mental wellbeing in their children 

You’ll leave feeling energized to apply these practical strategies and make a lasting impact on your young clients’ mental health!  

Program Information

Objectives

  1. Distinguish how children and adolescents gut affect their brain and vice versa, as well as the consequence of a damaged digestive system.
  2. Determine how stress plays a role in children and adolescence and learn how to support and guide parents and caregivers throughout treatment.
  3. Evaluate how certain foods play a role in a child’s microbiome and analyze how it affects their mood.

Outline

Your Gut Knows What’s Up!

Understanding the Second Brain in Kids

  • Connection between our “two brains” and how the Vagus Nerve plays a key role
  • Digestive tract sends critical signals to our brain influencing emotions & behavior
  • Guts control over mood, attention, and self-regulation
  • How a damaged Vagus nerve disrupts digestion and impacts well-being
  • Stimulate the Vagus nerve to support digestion, regulate emotions, and calm nervous system
  • Risks and Limitations

Let’s Talk about Stress, Baby!

How Stress Impacts Kids Brains and Bodies

  • Fight/flight/freeze response and its unique impact on kids
  • The role of adolescent hormones in both mental health and gut health
  • Impact of caffeine on stress levels
  • Evidence-based stressbusters for anxiety
  • Mindfulness and the power of rest for balance and emotional regulation

Food for Your ‘Tude’!

How Nutrition Shapes Kids Mental Health

  • Direct link between diet and mood

Behavioral issues stemming from hunger vs emotional distress

  • Foods that help decrease symptoms of anxiety, depression, and ADHD
  • Connection between inflammation and psychiatric symptoms
  • Impact of the Standard American Diet
  • Incorporating nutrition and dietary habits into intake paperwork and therapy sessions
  • Navigating social media’s unrealistic food standards—the “Pinterest perfect plate” 

Target Audience

  • Psychologists
  • Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors
  • Marriage & Family Therapists
  • Social Workers
  • Case Managers
  • Occupational Therapists
  • Occupational Therapy Assistants
  • Speech-Language Pathologists
  • Dieticians

Copyright : 04/08/2025