You Are Not Alone: Conference on childhood trauma set for Nov. 13 and 14

The tiny child, just one year old, was content as his mother smiled at him and held him close. He smiled back and played with her hair. But when her smile disappeared and she seemed cross — perhaps the youngster had tugged her locks a little too hard — he reacted by putting his hands over his face defensively, so withdrawing and hiding from his mother’s negative reaction.

“We don’t know exactly what it means to him,” says world-renowned developmental psychologist Dr. Ed Tronick, “but we see him reacting as if there is some type of threat.”

He says that an adult in a potentially threatening situation might leave. An infant, dependent on his caregiver, is unable to do that. The young child is also trapped between the contrasting messages of his mother’s initial smile and its replacement by apparent anger. Older children who have experienced trauma during their development may become profoundly depressed or anxious.

Just as adults and children, particularly young children still trying to make sense of the world, react differently, so it is necessary to focus on children’s needs in different and specific ways, he says.

“It’s important to recognize that young children experience the world in vastly different ways from adults — children of three or four or younger are almost a different species,” says Dr. Tronick. “Techniques that work with adults may not fit as well when brought to bear on children.”

This, he says, is why a conference focusing on children’s needs is so valuable. He is the keynote speaker at the You Are Not Alone: Child Trauma & Attachment Conference being presented by The George Hull Centre Institute of Childhood Trauma & Attachment at The George Hull Centre for Children and Families, in Toronto, co-sponsored by the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health.

The two-day conference on Nov. 13 and 14 targets leading-edge research into childhood trauma from numerous perspectives and is followed by two days of workshops and training opportunities (Nov. 15 and 16) that enhance and further develop the speakers’ presentations.

Led by keynote speaker Dr. Tronick, who is internationally acclaimed for his pioneering research on infant and caregiver relationships, the other presenters are: Leticia Gracia, director and founder of the Institute of Childhood Trauma & Attachment; psychologist Ed Hamlin, clinical director of the Institute for Applied Neuroscience in Asheville, N.C., and a specialist in the research and development of neurofeedback; trauma therapist Jillian Hosey, an expert and trainer in EMDR and an advanced trainer and fellow with the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation; psychologist Dan Hughes, founder of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy; occupational therapist and neuroscience researcher Brianne Kearney; psychiatry professor Ruth Lanius, director of clinical research on PTSD and Harris Woodman chair at Western University and an internationally renowned expert in the neurobiology of trauma; occupational therapist Benjamin Pandev-Girard; relational trauma specialist Sian Phillips; Indigenous healer, scholar and educator Patricia Vickers, whose work integrates Indigenous knowledge, neuroscience and trauma healing; and psychologist Liz Warner, developer of the SMART Model, who has been working with young people for more than four decades. 

“I very much appreciate all that this group of people, speaking from their experience of working with children and looking at our history, are doing,” says Vickers, adding that she is delighted that discussion of traditional healing techniques has been included alongside the more innovative practices. “I treasure being connected with them and am grateful to be part of this very special conference. They are really doing something different and valuable here.”

“It is very exciting for us at George Hull that we are providing something not available in public children’s mental health,” says Gracia. “Our research and therapy are focused exclusively on children partly because their brains are so delicate and still developing and partly because therapy that works in adults does not work for children.”

The George Hull Centre Institute of Childhood Trauma & Attachment was established in September 2019, building on the clinical legacy of the George Hull Centre for Children and Families. The founders, all mental health clinicians, recognized a growing need to support families facing complex trauma, multi-generational loss and disrupted attachment. The development of the institute within the George Hull Centre was a key approach in addressing trauma in a comprehensive and integrated way.

The George Hull Centre for Children and Families was founded by George Hull, a compassionate school principal who saw a growing need to help young people deal with mental health issues. Some 40 years later, the centre, operating primarily in west Toronto in conjunction with a number of partners spread over a wider area, has grown in stature and influence and is known for its quality research and innovative practices.  It offers free treatments to children and youth aged 18 and under, as well as support to their families. The foundation associated with the centre is chaired by Robert Hull, the grandson of the founder.

For more information about the George Hull Centre for Children and Families and the You Are Not Alone: Child Trauma & Attachment conference, visit georgehullcentre.ca.

This story was created by Content Works, Postmedia’s commercial content division, on behalf of The George Hull Centre for Children and Families.