Thinking Together in the Face of Fear: Helping Young Children Feel Safe—Even When Adults are Frightened
Who is this for?
IECMH Community
What can you expect to gain from this workshop?
After this workshop, participants will be able to:
Recognize common misconceptions about responding to very young children (0-5) about community violence
Identify developmental differences in responses to fear in very young children compared to older children
Consider the role of attachment relationships in mitigating the effects of community violence
Identify and carry out co-regulation strategies, including mindful self-compassion, for adult caregivers of young children
CEUs for mental health professionals and STARS credits are provided.
Full Description
Very young children are exposed to stress and anxiety as a result of community violence (mass shootings; hate crimes; gang violence) even if they are not directly exposed to the violence itself. For those of us working with caregivers—parents, family members, teachers—it is crucial to understand the impacts of this type of stress; how to support caregivers to mitigate it; and how to regulate ourselves and other adults so we can be present as sturdy attachment figures.