Epione Training & Consultancy are delighted to host our inaugural one day ‘What Works’ trauma conference. This historic setting will bring together world-renowned Dr Bruce Perry by high-definition, large scale,  live interactive WEBINAR alongside leading researchers, neuroscientists, highly specialist therapists, practitioners and experts by experience to discuss one of the most pervasive public health issues of our time: adverse childhood experiences and childhood trauma.

As the nation awakens to national and international research from seminal and emerging studies on childhood adversity, this conference responds to the urgency to develop a deeper understanding and confidence in ‘what works’ trauma enhanced approaches to mitigate against the long-term negative impact upon health, wellbeing and social outcomes.

The conference day will create a unique space for speakers to share their insights and expertise to enable delegates to develop a greater understanding of trauma in relation to children and adults from a biopsychosocial perspective, to hear about the latest advances in trauma practice, as well as shining a light on the power of relational and therapeutic approaches to healing hurt and building resilient individuals and communities.

The day will be hosted by Lisa Cherry, a renowned author a leading international speaker, and aimed to be connective and discursive with a dedicated panel discussion to provide further opportunity for interaction and dialogue.

Guest Speakers 

Dr Bruce D Perry is the Senior Fellow of The Child Trauma Academy and Community of Practice based in Houston, TX and Professor (Adjunct) in the Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioural Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine at North Western University in Chicago and the School of Allied Health, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Dr Perry is the author, with Maia Szalavitz, of The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog, a bestselling book based on his work with maltreated children and Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential and Endangered. His most recent multimedia book, BRIEF: Reflections on Childhood, Trauma and Society was released in 2013. Over the last thirty years, Dr Perry has been an active teacher, clinician and researcher in children’s mental health and the neurosciences holding a variety of academic positions. His clinical research over the last ten years has been focused on integrating emerging principles of developmental neuroscience into clinical practice. This work has resulted in the development of innovative clinical practices and programs working with maltreated and traumatized children, most prominently the Neurosequential Model©. This approach to clinical problem solving has been integrated into the programs at dozens of large public and non-profit organizations serving at-risk children and their families. International Bestseller. The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog, 3rd Edition  Born for Love: Why Empathy Is Essential--And Endangered        

Dr Warren Larkin is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist and is also Visiting Professor at Sunderland University where he is working with the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing to develop their research programme and training curricula for a broad range of health care professionals. Warren recently completed a 2-year tenure as the Clinical Lead for the Department of Health Adverse Childhood Experiences programme and is now working with NHS Health Scotland. He has a long-standing interest in the relationships between childhood adversity and outcomes later in life and has published numerous research articles on the topic of adverse childhood experiences, trauma and psychosis and published an edited book in 2006 (now commissioned for a second edition) exploring this theme. Warren has also been involved in policy development and has acted as an advisor to a number of UK government agencies. He was a member of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services National Task Force, the NICE expert reference group on first episode psychosis, the ‘Tackling CSE’ advisory group and was a contributing author of the recently published Personality Disorder Consensus Statement. Warren developed the routine enquiry about adversity in childhood (REACh) approach as a way of assisting organisations to become more trauma-informed and to train professionals to ask routinely about adversity in their everyday practice.

Dr Alastair Hull, M.D., FRCPsych., has been a Consultant Psychiatrist in Psychotherapy in Tayside, Perth since 2004, having followed a circuitous but fulfilling route to this post. He was previously a clinical researcher and then Clinical Lecturer at the Aberdeen Centre for Trauma Research and the University of Aberdeen, then an Honorary Senior Lecturer and Consultant Psychiatrist to the Grampian Traumatic Stress Clinic. His doctoral thesis was on the long-term follow-up of the Piper Alpha Oil Platform disaster, and he received the Royal College of Psychiatrists research prize in 2002. He is an honorary senior lecturer at the University of Dundee with clinical and academic interests in the psychological sequelae of traumatic experiences. Alastair has been involved in research, training and treatment of post-traumatic conditions for over 20 years. He has lectured and run workshops nationally and internationally, with the majority of his publications being on post-traumatic psychological reactions. He is the co-author of the textbook The Comprehensive Resource Model: Effective Therapeutic Techniques for the Healing of Complex Trauma, Routledge Publishing Company (October 2016). He has previously set-up and lead two NHS Services, the Multidisciplinary Adult Psychotherapy Service (MAPS), and more recently the Tayside Area Veterans Service. The Comprehensive Resource Model (Explorations in Mental Health) 1st Edition

Lisa Cherry is a recognised author and a leading international trainer and consultant, specialising in assisting those in Education, Probation, Social Care and Adoption and Fostering to understand trauma, recovery and resilience for vulnerable children, young people and their families. Lisa has nearly 30 years experience in this field and combines academic knowledge and research with professional skills and personal experience. Lisa has recently completed research on the impact of exclusion on children who were looked after away from home in the 1970's and 1980's."The Brightness of Stars: Stories of adults who came through the care system  

Kevin Neary is the founder of Aid & Abet and advises on the challenges of safely transitioning from prison back into society. He speaks about childhood trauma, addiction, offending behaviour, recovery, the need for comprehensive, relationship-based community supports where basic needs are met, the utility of the Adverse Childhood Experience evidence, the fact that his family were both a source of his ACEs, but also his buffer. He focuses on the healing power of relationships.

Dawn Harris is a Consultant Forensic and Clinical Psychologist, an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society, and an Accredited Psychotherapist. She has worked in both the public and private sectors for over 20 years and has gained extensive experience in working with people who have experienced trauma. She is trained in a variety of psychotherapeutic modalities and believes that as each individual is unique, so their treatment should be. She is a firm believer in the relational aspect of healing, with her focus on working within a framework of mutual respect, trust and collaboration. She is committed to the body-brain connection and her interests lie in how the two interact. Dawn is a Risk Assessor with the Risk Management Authority in Scotland, and a Parole Commissioner in Northern Ireland. She regularly supervises therapists who work with people who have a history of trauma and is an Approved Trainer in the Comprehensive Resource Model. She also opened her own residential facility that specialised in working with people with a history of complex trauma and is aware of the harmony and successful outcomes that a trauma-informed approach can create.

Alex O’Donnell is a research-minded justice social worker with over 20 years’ experience. He began his career in youth services and has the first-hand experience utilising a therapeutic relational approach to reach marginalised young persons, most of who experienced adverse childhoods and held developmental trauma. In adult services, he facilitated therapeutic trauma-informed groups, which drew upon self-compassion and mindfulness techniques. He has managed all areas of criminal justice social work, including prison, general fieldwork and specific women’s service to name a few. Alex is a qualified practice teacher and has amassed an extensive teacher – trainer portfolio, regularly attending universities to provide lecturer inputs. Nationally, he is the Chair and lead trainer for an accredited programme, which is underpinned by the neurobiological perspective of trauma and delivered in a trauma responsive approach. As a leader of Justice services, he has a specific interest in trauma-informed organisations with safety, choice, empowerment, collaboration and trust at the core. This saw him complete a postgraduate Master’s Degree with regards to service development. In 2015, he was nominated for a Butler Trust Award for the development and implementation of local authority-wide desistance approach. In 2017, his service was nominated and winner of the Scottish Social Service Award for utilising current research to develop a collaborative approach to addressing domestic abuse and enhancing family safety.

James Docherty is a Community Justice Advisor with Community Justice Scotland, responsible for increasing knowledge across teams and advising on approaches to strategies, projects and priorities. James is also a Development Officer within the Violence Reduction Unit. He has previously worked on various VRU projects Mentoring people with convictions seeking to re-create their lives and supporting change. James advocates strongly for change and awareness in how we address the hidden cost of untreated trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences in our society. Previously he has worked with a leading Children’s charity on diversion programmes with young people on the cusp of organised crime. James has both professional and personal experience of navigating the care and criminal justice system.

We look forward to meeting you and are excited to share our passion and experience with 'what works' to create healthy and connected bodies and minds - both at the conference and beyond!

Delegates will receive a conference pack and leave inspired with useful approaches to use in practice.

Refreshments with light canapé lunch included.

Full conference programme to follow.

*Tickets are Non Refundable*

If you have any questions, please contact Derek our events coordinator enquiries@epione-training.com