Training Institute Director Lauren Nietz kicked off year two of Washburn Center’s Thought Leadership Speaker Series: Let’s Talk with her presentation, “We Repeat What We Don’t Repair: Being Present for Youth in Your Life.”
As a practicing clinician, facilitator, trainer and instructor of early childhood mental health, Lauren highlighted the importance of joining children in moments of stress, anxiety or fear and providing structure in order to repair. This support will provide a positive influence in a time of need, trauma or crisis.
Lauren noted children experience toxic stress in many ways: maltreatment, learning difficulties, school danger, racism, socio/economic stressors, language barriers, developmental delays and community violence.
She highlighted the Developmental Repair model – a treatment model developed at Washburn Center – which is an intentional, incremental, collaborative and kind therapy which believes all children can learn about the world through their primary relationships.
Lauren described ways adults can partner with children to repair social and emotional learning and increase developmental capacities:
- Teaching self-regulation
- Having self- compassion
- ‘Joining’ by establishing an intentional relationship for the child’s benefit
- Experiencing repair after rupture
“When we give children a message, it must have a purpose for their benefit,” Lauren emphasized. She expressed the importance of children having options to practice their feelings and emotions to learn how to handle a full range of experiences. Lauren noted the adults in a child’s caregiving system need to collaborate as they each hold different roles in their young person’s life. A child’s needs will evolve over time, yet it’s essential to address what their present needs are.
Washburn Center is grateful to our Thought Leadership Speaker Series sponsors, Agency Squid and Lesley and Stewart Crosby, for their commitment to children’s mental health.
Join us for the next conversation on “Healing from Trauma” through Washburn Center’s Thought Leadership Speaker Series on May 16, 2019 from 6:30-8 p.m. A panel of community experts will share their expertise on “Children’s Mental Health in the Twin Cities Community.” More details will follow in the coming weeks.
Washburn Center’s Thought Leadership Speaker Series is intended to spark conversation and deliver impactful insights on topics instrumental to healthy development of children and the support of their caregivers.