The Manor, 42 West Boylston Street, West Boylston, MA 01583
Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®):
Hope, Healing, and Connection Across Systems of Care
OCTOBER 13-14 • 9AM-4PM
"When you connect to the heart of a child, everything is possible."
- Dr. Karyn Purvis
Every day in New England, children and families impacted by trauma interact with multiple systems of care—child welfare, schools, mental health providers, healthcare, residential programs, juvenile justice, churches, and community organizations. Each plays an important role, yet they often operate from different frameworks and approaches.
Imagine the difference if those systems and caregivers shared a common language and approach.
Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) is an evidence-based, attachment-centered, trauma-informed model that is helping caregivers, professionals, organizations, and systems around the world better understand and respond to the complex needs of
children who have experienced adversity.
Our hope is that this conference will introduce more leaders and practitioners to TBRI®, strengthen those already using it, and encourage thoughtful consideration of its potential within organizations, systems, and communities throughout New England.
A 2-day Conference Strengthening Trauma-Informed Care for New England Youth
Who should attend?
This conference is designed for anyone serving children and families, including:
Child welfare professionals
Foster, adoptive, & kinship caregivers
Mental health professionals
Educators and school leaders
Healthcare professionals
Residential care staff
Juvenile justice professionals
Community and nonprofit leaders
Supervisors & administrators
Organizational leaders
What is TBRI®?
A holistic, attachment-centered, trauma-informed intervention designed to support children and youth who have experienced adversity
An evidence-based model that trains caregivers to meet children's physiological, emotional, and behavioral needs
A framework built on three core principles:
1. Connecting: building safety, trust, and healthy attachment
2. Empowering: supporting physiological needs like regulation, nutrition, and sleep
3. Correcting: using relational, trauma-informed strategies to guide behavior
Why attend?
Whether you are new to TBRI® or have years of experience, this conference is designed to help you gain a deeper understanding of the model and consider its application within your own context.
Participants will have the opportunity to:
Develop a deeper understanding of TBRI® and its core principles.
Learn practical strategies for serving children and families impacted by trauma.
Explore how TBRI® is being applied across a variety of settings.
Hear directly from leaders at the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development where TBRI® was developed.
Connect with professionals and practitioners from across New England.
Consider how TBRI® might strengthen your organization, team, or system of care.
What people are saying about TBRI®
TBRI® has been one of the most influential tools in my work as a permanency specialist. It has transformed the way I understand and respond to the needs of the children and families impacted by trauma. By focusing on connection, felt safety, and meeting underlying needs, TBRI® has helped me build stronger relationships, support healing, and better equip families for long-term success.
Profession/Role
Maria Brochu, BSW
Adoption Rhode Island Permanency Specialist
TBRI® has changed both the way I parent and the way I support adoptive families. As an adoptive mom and a trainer, I've seen firsthand that when caregivers respond with connection, understanding, and intentional support, children who have experienced trauma can truly begin to heal. Watching families discover hope and confidence through TBRI® has been one of the greatest joys of my work.
Liz Joyal
Director of Family Support Services, Massachusetts Adoption Resrouce Exchange (MARE)
Parenting our kiddos has been the toughest challenge we've ever taken on. The TBRI® framework helped us focus our efforts on connecting and empowering, so we don’t have to do as much correcting. Learning about the importance of balancing structure with nurture, scaffolding, and giving voice has been transformational for us. When we apply the TBRI® framework, we see positive results.
Alyce
Foster/Adoptive Parent
Speaker Highlights
TBRI® Training & Consultation Specialist
Sarah Mercado is a Training Specialist with the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development, where she has trained professionals in applying Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) since 2016.
Before joining the Institute, Sarah spent more than 20 years in residential treatment and foster care, beginning as a direct care provider for teens before advancing to Regional Director of a foster and adoption agency. This blend of frontline and leadership experience gives her a unique perspective on trauma-informed care across the child welfare system, and equips her to help professionals apply TBRI® with confidence in their everyday work.
Sarah Mercado
Audris Jordan
Audris Jordan is a Regional Training and Consultation Specialist at the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at TCU, where she trains and consults with organizations implementing Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®). A TBRI® practitioner since 2016, she brings extensive experience serving children, youth, and families impacted by trauma, helping professionals and organizations build safe, connected, and healing-centered environments.
Before joining KPICD's Outreach Team, Audris served as a Trauma Specialist with Arrow Child & Family Services, where she trained staff and supported the implementation of TBRI® across the organization. She also worked in residential care with adolescents and alongside survivors of sex trafficking and exploitation. These experiences give her a unique perspective on building trust-based relationships with children and adults who have experienced complex trauma and inform her practical, culturally responsive approach to supporting individuals, organizations, and systems of care.
TBRI® Training & Consultation Specialist
Jaymie Stavdal, MS, OTR/L
Jaymie Stavdal is an occupational therapist specializing in sensory integration and trauma-informed care. She has extensive training in sensory integration, trauma and attachment, DIR/Floortime, sound therapies, oral motor and feeding, and craniosacral therapy. Jaymie has been a practitioner of Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI) for more than six years, integrating its principles into her work with children and families across home, school, clinic, and community settings.
Jaymie is also a practitioner in Circle of Security Parenting and serves as the Director of Continuing Education for Avanti Therapeutic Projects. She is known for her collaborative, holistic approach to supporting families and professionals, combining curiosity and a love of learning with a genuine desire to empower others through compassionate connection.
Occupational Therapist
Meg Woodruff, LMFT
Family Therapist
Meg Woodruff is the Founder and Lead Clinician of the Center for Family Connection in Central Massachusetts. A licensed family therapist and Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) practitioner, she specializes in attachment-focused, trauma-informed care. Her clinical background includes Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), Theraplay, attachment theory, and sensory-informed interventions that promote healing through safe, nurturing relationships. The focus of treatment at her practice is on repair and healing through safe, nurturing relationships within sensory and attachment-rich environments.
Meg is passionate about equipping caregivers and professionals to strengthen secure attachment, deepen attunement, and support lasting healing for children and families. Her work emphasizes practical, relationship-based strategies that foster connection, resilience, and healthy development.
Conference at a Glance*
October 13 - Day One - Building a Foundation for TBRI®
Introducing the principles and philosophy of Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®), helping participants understand the "why" behind the model while exploring its application across a variety of child- and family-serving settings.
Topics will include:
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Understanding the impact of trauma and adversity
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The foundations and principles of TBRI®
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Practical application across homes, organizations, and systems
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Learning from leaders at the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development
October 14 - Day Two - Putting TBRI® Into Practice
Building on the foundation established on Day One, participants will explore the Empowering and Correcting Principles of TBRI®, gain practical tools they can use immediately, and learn from practitioners using TBRI® in diverse settings across New England.
Topics will include:
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The Empowering and Correcting Principles of TBRI®
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Practical strategies to support regulation, connection, and behavior
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Real-world examples from practitioners across New England
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Applying TBRI® within your role, organization, or system
*A detailed conference agenda, session descriptions, and additional speakers will be released closer to the event.