From Neuroception to Connection
Engaging Parents to Foster Safety and Co-Regulation
- Speakers:
- Karen O'Neill, MA, BACP Psychotherapist | Tara McDonald, MA, BACP Psychotherapist
- Duration:
- 1 Hour 31 Minutes
- Format:
- Audio and Video
- Copyright:
-
Apr 24, 2026
- Product Code:
- POS150674
- Media Type:
- Digital Seminar
Description
Even the best therapeutic strategies can fall flat if children don’t feel safe in their closest relationships. True healing happens when parents step into their role as primary co-regulators – helping their children’s nervous systems shift from threat to safety. This session equips you to bring parents into the process with simple, evidence-informed tools that foster connection, resilience, and recovery.
You’ll learn how to:
- Recognize cues of safety and threat that shape child-parent interactions
- Teach parents practical co-regulation strategies – breathing, grounding, rhythm, and repair
- Translate neuroscience into everyday language parents can understand and use
- Partner with families without blame, building systems of safety across home, school, and community
Credit
Speaker
Karen O'Neill, MA, BACP Psychotherapist Related seminars and products
Karen O’Neill, MA Psychotherapist, Child Therapist, EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner, is an adult psychotherapist, child therapist, parent-infant therapist and EMDR Europe Accredited Practitioner. She is based in the UK where she offers psychotherapy to individuals of all ages as well as clinical supervision and consultancy work. Her special interest is working with parent-child dyads to strengthen the relationship between them.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Karen O'Neill is the founder and director of Counselling Solutions and the co-founder and director of PIP Solutions Training, Ltd. She receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Karen O'Neill is a member of the EMDR Association UK, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, and Play Therapy United Kingdom.
Tara McDonald, MA, BACP Psychotherapist Related seminars and products
Tara McDonald, MA Psychotherapist, Child Therapist, Certified Clinical Trauma Practitioner, is a child therapist, adult psychotherapist and clinical supervisor based in the UK. She works with individuals of all ages through a polyvagal and attachment-focused lens. Her passion is in supporting parents and carers who might be experiencing difficulties or hurt in their journey as a parent.
Speaker Disclosures:
Financial: Tara McDonald is the Co-Founder and Director of PIP Solutions Training, LTD. and has an employment relationship with Hatch Counselling Services. She receives royalties as a published author. Tara McDonald receives a speaking honorarium and recording royalties from PESI, Inc. She has no relevant financial relationships with ineligible organizations.
Non-financial: Tara McDonald has no relevant non-financial relationships.
Additional Info
Access for Self-Study (Non-Interactive)Access never expires for this product.
Questions?
Visit our FAQ page at www.pesi.com/faq or contact us at www.pesi.com/info
Additional CE Info
For a more detailed outline that includes times or durations of time, if needed, please contact cepesi@pesi.com.
Objectives
- Explain how the nervous system detects cues of safety and threat, and why this process underpins trauma recovery.
- Equip parents to act as their child’s primary co-regulators and sources of safety.
- Engage parents with approaches and strategies that emphasize their vital role in co-regulators, while avoiding blame or criticism.
Outline
Neuroception in Action
- How the nervous system detects safety and threat
- Children’s behaviors: Reflections of nervous system states
Building Safety as the Foundation
- Cues of safety and threat in daily interactions
- Regulation, routines, and environment: Help parents set the tone
Partnering with Parents
- Co-regulation through breathing, grounding, rhythm, and repair
- Empower caregivers without blame
- Translating neuroscience into simple & usable tools for families
Repair and Resilience
- Normalize disconnection
- Repair steps to rebuild trust and connection
Risks and Considerations
- Research limitations and potential risks
- Neuroception and co-regulation frameworks with cultural sensitivity
Target Audience
- Psychologists
- Licensed Clinical/Mental Health Counselors
- Marriage & Family Therapists
- Occupational Therapists
- Occupational Therapy Assistants
- Social Workers
- Speech-Language Pathologists
- Teachers/School-Based Personnel
- School Administrators
- Addiction Professionals
- Case Managers
- Dieticians
- Nurses
- Nursing Home/Assisted Living Administrators
- Physical Therapists
- Physical Therapist Assistants
Reviews
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