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April 2021Vol. 22, No. 4Trust-Based Relational Intervention Offers Trauma-Informed Approach to Meet Children's Needs

Trust-based relational intervention (TBRI) is an attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention designed to meet the needs of children who have experienced trauma, toxic stress, or other hardships.

These children have had experiences that make it difficult for them to trust the adults in their lives. TBRI provides parents, caregivers, and others who work with children tools to build that trust and help them thrive and that can be used to address a wide range of childhood behavioral problems, especially in cases where other interventions have failed.

TBRI is based on years of neurodevelopmental research and uses three main principles:

  • Empowering principles for physical needs
  • Connecting principles for attachment needs
  • Correcting principles for addressing fear-based behaviors

The Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development offers TBRI practitioner training for child welfare professionals, including four training sessions in 2021. This training is divided into two phases:

  • Phase 1: Conducted through an online platform, this phase is designed to introduce participants to TBRI and includes nine units of coursework and an interpersonal interview in the 10 weeks prior to the live portion of TBRI training (phase 2). 
  • Phase 2: This phase includes 5 days of live, intensive training that focuses on the application and implementation of TBRI.

Participants who successfully complete both phases are recognized as TBRI practitioners. Continuing education credits are also awarded upon completion of the training.

More information is available on the institute's website.