Course Description

This course provides parents, particularly foster parents, with practical tools and insights to better understand and address the emotional and behavioral needs of children who have experienced trauma. Using the Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) framework, participants will learn evidence-based strategies for building connection, fostering self-regulation, and promoting healthy discipline.

Key topics include:

• An introduction to TBRI and its role in trauma-informed care.
• Recognizing signs of emotional dysregulation and guiding children toward resetting and calming themselves.
• Differentiating between strong-willed behavior and trauma responses.
• Effective techniques to teach children self-regulation and emotional resilience.
• Identifying harmful parenting practices, including overly permissive or excessively strict approaches.
• Interventions to manage intense behaviors, such as rage, verbal abuse, and unsafe actions.
• Exploring the difference between discipline and punishment and applying age-appropriate strategies.
• Proactive methods to reduce the frequency of dysregulated behavior through nurturing environments and structured routines.

This course empowers caregivers to create safe, healing spaces for children to thrive, equipping them with the confidence to navigate challenging behaviors while maintaining connection and trust. Ideal for foster parents, adoptive parents, and anyone caring for children from hard places.

CEU Certificate: 1 Hour

Course Instructors

Ted Stackpole Facilitator

PROFESSION: Chaplain to the foster and adoption community. CREDENTIALS: Ordained minister and endorsed chaplain through the Assemblies of God. PERSONAL: Has eleven children, loves the outdoors, and would like to see Alaska one day.

Lance Nelson Trainer

PROFESSION: National Foster Care Director, COMPACT Family Services, Hot Springs, Arkansas. EDUCATION: Masters of Pastoral Leadership and TBRI Practitioner. PERSONAL: Lance and Lindsey have 5 children total. Lance enjoys golf and watching his kids play sports.