On Friday, April 19, 2013, Washtenaw Area Council for Children will present a half-day conference, “Children of Trauma: Building Resilience in a Traumatic World,” presented by speaker Sarah Slamer, MA, LLPC, CTC-S, Assistant Director of The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children and Starr Global Learning Network

Participants will learn the differences between grief and trauma and the value of focusing on the experience not the symptoms. They will also learn how trauma impacts the brain, learning and behavior. While resilience and post-traumatic growth are terms used to describe the experience of positive coping following adversity, they can represent two different responses to the stress of traumatic events. This training will explain and differentiate the terms and describe their importance in working with traumatized children and adolescents. Strategies will be presented for attendees to use in their work with children and adolescents who have experienced a trauma. Activities that support resilience and post-traumatic growth, as well as tools, will also be presented to help those who work with children understand how trauma impacts behavior and ability to learn, and how best to help them move beyond to positive coping.

Cost of the Conference is $45 for pre-regstration by April 15 ($50 at door.) $40 for groups of 5 or more per person (pre-registration only). Social Work and SB CEUs will be applied for and will be an additional cost (to be determined.) For more information, please contact Marcia Dykstra: [email protected] or (734)434-4215.

Please watch our website: www.washtenawchildren.org for a copy of the Conference brochure coming soon.