ADOPTS Training

Bethany’s ADOPTS program has a variety of staff available to provide trainings for your group or organization. Our ADOPTS staff have trained more than 2,000 parents and professionals on child trauma and trauma-informed interventions. We have spoken at national and regional conferences, service provider trainings, schools, churches, and parent support groups. Furthermore, we are members of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network is a federally-funded network intended to serve as a resource about child traumatic stress for professionals and the public.

The following workshops are available for booking. Additionally, if you would like to inquire about receiving training in the ADOPTS program model, please contact Rachel Kowatch, ADOPTS Coordinator, at 616.224.7550, or email us at childtrauma@bethany.org.


WORKSHOPS

In Defense of the Self: Complex trauma in children

Length: 2-14 hours (negotiable)
Audience: Human services professionals and management
CEUs: Available with three months’ booking notice

Children continually exposed to abuse and neglect experience the world as a threat. In “In Defense of the Self,” you will learn how adverse environments change how children view the world and how the ADOPTS trauma-informed treatment model fosters healing for pre- and post-adoptive children. The workshop is presented by Mark Peterson, LMSW, ACSW; Rachel Kowatch, MSW, LMSW; and Amy Brace, LMSW, ACSW of the ADOPTS national, post-adoptive trauma initiative.

In this workshop, you will learn:

  • The physiological and psychological aspects of acute and complex trauma.
  • The prevalence of traumatized children within the foster care and adoptive system.
  • Research-based intervention for trauma interventions.

Raising an Abused or Neglected Child: Top 10 things a parent needs to know

Length: 1-4 hours (negotiable)
Audience: Primarily for parents, but also helpful for human services professionals
CEUs: Available with three months’ booking notice

This training is based on conversations with hundreds of parents and ADOPTS therapists. Raising a child who has been traumatized before his or her placement in adoption or foster care is often difficult. This training will focus on the most important knowledge and skills that are demanded of parents in these situations, what issues to expect, and how parents can address these common issues. ADOPTS works with children and families on developing "felt safety" in their relationships, regulation of their emotions in their communication, and how to develop a sense of healthy self.

In this workshop, you will learn:
  • How abuse and neglect impact a child’s brain and behavior.
  • Lessons learned in the field working with parents and children.
  • The primary skills a parent needs to know in raising a traumatized child.

Feedback on Recent ADOPTS Trainings

Very effective, knowledgeable, and helpful–wonderful speaker

I would love to be a part of a program like this! Practical information to use.

The presenters all did a wonderful job of addressing the topic and also answering questions. The experiential parts were great!

The presenters did a great job! They seem to have a lot of experience!

Very helpful and accessible. Appreciate their humor.

They were energetic and able to keep us engaged in the training.

Very clear, articulate, entertaining, knowledgeable, and interested in teaching us – THANKS!

If you have a topic on trauma that you would like us to discuss but do not see it listed above, please contact us.