We are thrilled to host our bi-annual attachment conference this coming fall, on November 28 & 29th. The focus is on Attachment, Trauma and the Brain.

We contacted Dr. Sue Johnson a year ago and asked her whom she’d like to present with on the subject of attachment and trauma, and she requested Dr. Janina Fisher. Both are top researchers and clinicians in the field, and will draw connections between attachment, trauma and the newest insights into the neurobiology of relationships.

We are excited too by their interest in effective clinical interventions—making the conference practical and applicable to our clinical work. As with our first conference, we are encouraging Johnson and Fisher to be present during each other’s presentations, speaking into each other’s work – a relational twist on the medium of teaching.

We’ve adopted a fondness for attachment theory at Shalem. It underpins so much of the work that we do and the programs we run. We believe we’ve been created as relational beings, and it is in relationships that we grow and develop.

We see that so much pain can come through relational harm, and at the same time, relationships can be the context of some of the best healing. The book, A Single Shard, by Linda Sue Park offers this quote:

“I have no gift for you beyond words,” he said. “I would tell you this. Of all the problems you may meet on your journey, it will be people who are the greatest danger. But it will also be people to whom you must turn if ever you are in need of aid. Remember this, my friend, and you will travel well.”

It is in this paradox that the complexities of attachment relationships become apparent.

Please check out the links for more information, or to register for this conference, or call our office at 905-528-0353. We are very happy to be offering discounts to our community partners. If you are a CAP service provider, or are a member of Family Service Ontario, we are offering a 10% discount to the registration fee, over and above the early bird rate.

If you weren’t able to make it to the previous conference, please consider joining us this time around. Relax with great teaching, great conversations, and super food. As with last time, spaces are filling up quickly! Call us soon.

Betty J.B. Brouwer, M.Sc., RP, is Shalem’s Director of the Linking Lives/Building Attachment program and the Artistic Director of Shalem’s RE-create Outreach Art Studio. Jennifer Bowen, M.Div., RMFT, is the Clinical Director of Shalem Mental Health Network’s Counselling Services.