The Power of Attention

Focusing on moments of joy, even during ongoing struggles, allows parents to experience happiness without being consumed by problems.

Transracial Adoption

Race matters because it shapes how children see themselves and are seen by others, and developing a healthy racial identity is essential for building a strong, positive sense of self.

The Art of Conversation

Children with trauma often struggle to trust, making tough conversations difficult and prone to conflict or avoidance—especially in pre-teens, teens, and young adults.

Surviving Puberty: When Trauma and Puberty Meet

Trauma can affect sexual development, and parents need practical tools to support their child through puberty and know when to seek professional help.

Supporting Invisible Special Needs

Learn how to advocate for a child with hidden but real special needs by building school support, guiding family understanding, and identifying overlooked challenges.

Sensory Issues in Children

Sensory issues are common in children with early trauma and can often be eased with the right support—learn how to identify them, seek appropriate help, and manage them at home.

Navigating Marriage in Times of Crisis

Marriage can be challenging, especially when raising children with special needs, but working together towards shared goals helps parents overcome conflict and avoid the "blame game."

Moral Development

Parents can better understand their child's behavior by learning about the stages of moral development, helping them adjust expectations and respond appropriately to issues like lying, aggression, and lack of empathy.

Living with Vicarious Trauma

Parents can learn to identify and address their own secondary trauma caused by ongoing stress from challenging behaviors, offering hope through healing and understanding.

Intro to the Alarm State

Pre-adoptive families focus on setting expectations, education, and preparation, while post-adoptive families concentrate on practical tools, education, and finding hope.

How Trauma Leads to Addiction to Drama

Children who grow up in chaos or stress may seek out similar experiences to feel safe and in control, often escalating in the preteen years, as drama becomes a decoy for intimacy when healthy relationship skills are lacking.

Managing Your Children's Alarm State

Adoptive parents may take on responsibility for issues they didn’t cause, and while some things can't be "fixed," understanding attachment styles—both their own and their child's—can help guide their approach to fostering trust and security.

Circle of Security

Using the Circle of Security approach, parents learn to recognize their child's needs, understand their own triggers, and grow in confidence to be Bigger, Stronger, Wiser, and Kinder—balancing nurturing with appropriate leadership.

Attachment Styles and their Impacts

By understanding the origins and characteristics of different attachment styles—both in children and themselves—parents can better predict behaviors and respond with practical, effective interventions.

Adolescent Brain Development

The adolescent brain develops rapidly, making early poor behaviors harder to change, but understanding its needs and the impact of trauma helps parents take steps to reduce long-term risks.

Addiction & Trauma

Addictive patterns often begin early as the brain seeks balance, especially in kids with low dopamine, and understanding the “why” helps parents know how to respond and what they’re truly responsible for.

Glass Children

Neuro-typical siblings of children with Complex Trauma often feel either overly visible or completely invisible, and understanding their unique struggles, strengths, and needs helps parents support them more effectively.