By the end of this session, foster and adoptive parents will understand how early trauma disrupts attachment formation and impacts a child’s ability to trust, connect, and form healthy relationships. They will be able to identify attachment-related behaviors and challenges—such as indiscriminate friendliness, emotional distance, difficulty with physical affection, and resistance to comfort—and recognize these as normal responses to past loss and instability rather than rejection of the parent. Parents will learn the neuroscience of attachment and understand how their consistent presence, emotional attunement, and safe touch directly support their child’s capacity to bond and heal. They will implement at least 3 practical, attachment-focused strategies including creating rituals of connection, using co-regulation to build trust, and responding to repair ruptures with patience and reassurance. Parents will also develop realistic timelines for attachment growth, understand that progress is often nonlinear, and learn how to advocate for trauma-informed therapeutic support that strengthens the parent-child relationship.

Contact Katie Bustamante at 505-918-0221or kbustamante@allfaiths.org for more information and/or event details. Following online registration, families will receive an email with more information. No cost (free).