Anyone who works with kids and families can feel the temperature rising when it comes to stress. The word anxiety seems to be everywhere we turn. Behaviors are becoming more frequent and intense. Burnout is no longer something that affects a few. We see high rates of turnover in helping roles, and for those of us who are left, we may find ourselves thinking: how much longer can I do this?

This training series designed to give you the keys to unlocking an understanding of how stress can become toxic in the body, leading to stuck patterns like anxiety, behavioral disruption, and shutting down.

Session 1 will give you a foundational understanding of nervous system injuries (aka accumulating stress and trauma), how they present in ourselves and others, and how we can start to heal these injuries with tools for the moment and for long-term resilience.

Session 2 will focus on us as helping and educational professionals. We will do a deep dive into protecting our resilience and preventing burnout. This workshop will use the newest scientific findings on stress and evidence-based practices for mental health and trauma work to equip you to find refreshment and grounding in working with children and families.

Session 3 will shift outward. We will discuss common patterns that present when the nervous system is injured, including signs of anxiety, behavioral disruption, diminished executive functioning, and shutdown and withdrawal. Using a somatic, trauma-informed, and evidence-based approach, we will teach you the awareness and the tools to intervene appropriately when students and clients are activated and how to facilitate long-term healing and resilience in those you serve.

About the Speaker

Katie Sandquist joined the Behavioral Health Department at Myrtue Medical Center in 2018 as a mental health therapist, and she has been working as a helping professional since 2005. Following graduation from the University of Kansas with her Bachelor’s degree, she worked for 10 years in nonprofit management. After a decade in the field, Katie returned to graduate school and in 2018, she received her master’s degree in professional counseling from Liberty University and became a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in Iowa. Katie also is involved in Community Wellness efforts and is available as a community speaker on a variety of topics related to mental health and wellness. Katie is trained in multiple evidence-based therapy models: Somatic Experiencing, Trauma-Responsive Yoga, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy, Play Therapy and Sand Tray Play Therapy, Imaginal Nurturing.

Workshop Descriptions 

September 13 3:00 - 5:00pm Looking Under the Hood: Understanding Stress and the Body

Stress is an unavoidable part of life. However, there remains a broad lack of understanding of how to respond effectively to diffuse emotional and behavioral disruption, protect mental health, and cultivate overall well-being. In recent years, scientists have gained a significant understanding of the biology of stress, how it affects the body, and what is truly helpful for navigating challenges and supporting mental health. This workshop will incorporate the latest evidence-based strategies to help you understand the body’s built-in stress responses and how we can work with the body’s design to help ourselves, and others move toward calm, safety, and healing.

October 18 3:00 - 5:00pm Shine Out, Not Burn Out: Understanding and Practices to Keep Doing What You Love

We got into the work of helping kids and families for a reason, but after a seemingly endless string of days facing obstacles that feel too big, too frequent, and too entrenched, we may be looking for a way out. Feelings like resentment, anxiety, and hopelessness are not only common, but they are also a natural way our body sounds the alarm that we need help. This workshop is that help. Using a somatic, trauma-informed framework, we will help you learn to listen to your body when it whispers so it does not need to shout in the form of stress sirens, such as overwhelming emotions, numb out and avoidance behaviors, muscle pain and headaches, digestive issues, or fatigue. Our time together will include context, but this is not a lecture. We will spend time learning and practicing strategies for that elusive idea of “self-care” and make a plan to implement these tools on an ongoing basis. We hope you will leave this workshop not only gaining greater insight but also feeling more calm, grounded, and hopeful.

November 8 3:00 - 5:00pm  Agents of Healing: Tools for Shifting the Moment and the Story 

Any work with kids and families will mean encountering difficult emotions and behaviors. However, in recent years, it may seem that emotional and behavioral disruptions are out of control. In response, as we serve in helping roles, we may feel ill-equipped to navigate intense moments or to change the patterns we witness. This workshop will give you helpful insight into what is happening beneath the surface of outbursts or shutdowns within the body's nervous system. With that lens, you will also gain tools to use the resources available to you, most chiefly your own self-regulation tools, to de-escalate activated children and adults at the moment. You will also gain practical tools to build resilience outside of triggering moments to invest in overall resilience in the people you serve. You will learn the why behind these tools and have ample opportunity to practice these techniques with coaching during the session. We expect you to come away from this workshop feeling more hopeful and confident in your ability to be an agent of healing. 

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