Bundle & Save!Working with families affected by child abuse requires sensitivity, clinical expertise, and a deep understanding of relational dynamics. In this on-demand workshop, participants will explore the experiences of families navigating the aftermath of sexual abuse, drawing on the research and clinical methodology developed by the Center for Children and Relational Trauma.
The workshop offers practical guidance for addressing therapeutic dilemmas, repairing relational ruptures, and fostering safety, trust, and connection within the family system.
Clinicians will learn strategies to support parents and children in rebuilding relationships while attending to the emotional, developmental, and systemic complexities of abuse recovery.
Participants will leave with a framework for navigating challenging clinical situations, improving family communication, and promoting relational resilience in the face of trauma.
Learning Objectives:
Participants will be able to:
- Describe the typical emotional and relational experiences of families affected by child sexual abuse.
- Identify common clinical dilemmas and challenges that arise when supporting families after abuse.
- Apply evidence-informed strategies to repair relational ruptures and promote trust within the family system.
- Integrate trauma-informed principles to foster emotional safety, resilience, and relational connection for both children and caregivers.
Who Should Attend:
Mental health professionals, family therapists, social workers, and clinicians working with children, adolescents, and families impacted by trauma and abuse.
Disclaimer: This workshop contains discussions of child sexual abuse and trauma. The content may be distressing for some viewers.
Meet Fiona True:
Fiona True, LCSW, is a member of the faculty of the Ackerman Institute for the Family. She directed the International and Community training program for twelve years. In this role she developed programs in Hong Kong, Chile, Argentina, and Japan. For the last 20 years she has been a member of the “Making Families Safe for Children Project”, a clinical research project that has developed a treatment program for families where intra-familial sexual abuse as the presenting problem. The project additionally developed a family based treatment model for adolescent boys who have offended. Since 2004 she has co-directed the Center for Children and Relational Trauma.
This center is translating what was learnt in the earlier work with incest to working with children and families who have experienced other forms of relational trauma such as witnessing domestic violence, the loss of a parent, or bitter and contentious custody disputes. She consults to numerous social service agencies concerning issues of sexual abuse and relational trauma. Fiona True has presented the work of the Center nationally and internationally and in 2004 was the recipient of the AFTA Award for Distinguished Contribution to Family Therapy along with her colleagues Marcia Sheinberg and Peter Fraenkel. She maintains private practices in Connecticut and Manhattan.
