Does your child have trouble adjusting to new environments, coping with stress, managing academic expectations, or regulating emotions?

According to the American Psychological Association, a significant number of children in American society are exposed to traumatic life events.

Trauma during childhood not only affects children's behavior, but also their ability to learn, cope with stress, and form healthy, positive relationships with others.

If traumatic experiences are ignored and left unaddressed or when trauma-sensitive care is lacking, children retain poor coping strategies that can negatively impact their long-term mental, physical, and emotional health.

Children who have experienced chronic stress or trauma often lag behind their peers in areas such as academics, self-regulation, and social skills.

They may -

  • appear unfocused or inattentive

  • have trouble remembering or following directions

  • seem defiant, inflexible, or uncooperative 

  • withdraw and resist connecting with peers or loved ones

Parents, teachers, and caregivers may mistakenly assume that these children need firmer discipline or more structure.

In reality, they are struggling with powerful fears, feelings of disconnection, anxiety, and/or sensory overload which they are unable to manage alone.

As the parent, teacher, or caregiver of a traumatized child, you can be a catalyst for healing that will help a child feel safe and secure. 

Supporting children who have experienced a painful or frightening past, requires us to reframe our thinking about behavior and learn to address our own reactivity, so we can become more tolerant of the range of emotions traumatized children experience - especially their hyper-sensitivity to stressful situations.


Children who have experienced toxic stress might:   

  • be fearful, anxious or display repeated negative behaviors in response to stress.

  • suffer from impairments/deficits in emotional/cognitive processing and awareness.

  • have one or more diagnoses (ADHD, SPD, ASD, FAS, etc.).

You might feel unprepared to handle the intensity of your child's behaviors.

You may be worried that without consequences, the apparent lack of motivation, disruptive behavior, or explosions of anger (which seem to appear without cause) will never stop.

My program will show you how the young brain adapts to stressful situations and why negative behaviors like inflexibility, resistance, yelling, and emotionally shutting down are protective mechanisms that we can shift. 

This series will show you how relationship and compassion for a child's experience can prompt the brain to "catch-up" - building new neural connections and strengthening skills.

Children have the potential to thrive beyond trauma - if you focus on the three key areas of support outlined in this program.

 

TRAUMA-SENSITIVE MODEL OF CARE 

  •  SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS

  •  STRESS MANAGEMENT

  •  SKILL DEVELOPMENT

The goal of this online program is to provide parents and professionals with a new understanding of behavior, and a model of discipline that addresses the needs of children affected by trauma.

  • ON DEMAND LESSONS

    Learn strategies for effective communication which will build executive function skills such as planning, thoughtfulness, attention, and self-regulation. Get tools to improve family relationships, increase motivation, and strengthen your bond - creating influence that lasts.

  • CREATE SAFE SPACES

    Routines are highlighted to help you learn to create safe spaces which enhance emerging skills such as empathy and problem-solving and promote your child's social-emotional competence.

  • IMPROVED COMMUNICATION

    You'll learn how to focus on working with a child’s emotional age and developmental stage rather than chronological age (which can appear vastly different) while targeting specific school and family issues and communication difficulties you may be facing.


  • Immediate access to on-demand audio/video lessons

  • Transcripts + companion workbook with activities and exercises.

  • Private community to share stories and connect with others.


THE TRAUMA CONNECTION: Understanding the Mind of a Foster Child

In this recorded online session, you will learn:

  • How trauma affects behavior, and shapes development, and informs the child's ability to self-regulate.

  • Strategies for using storytelling and play to decode behavior and calm persistent fears.

  • Rituals and routines that promote connection and increase positive behaviors at home and in school.

  • How to recognize and engage a child stuck in fear-mode and help them adapt to change and obstacles with more ease.

HELPING KIDS ADAPT, COPE, & CATCH-UP: Trauma & Brain Development

In this recorded online session, you will learn:

  • What the brain needs to grow new connections and make long-term changes in behavior.

  • To help kids manage their emotions through your connection - instead of consequences.

  • How the senses can become easily overwhelmed causing inflexibility and negative behaviors.

  • How the body is triggered into fight or flight and how to stop the alarm system with mindfulness.

  • Tools for creating connection, building positive coping skills, and learning to tolerate difficult times.

ATTACHMENT MATTERS: Changing Behavior through Relationship

In this recorded online session, you will learn:

  • How to use discipline that doesn't create disconnection and resentment.

  • How healthy attachment promotes positive behaviors and reduces stress in the whole family.

  • How to promote a secure emotional connection by removing judgment and evaluations from your language.

  • How to help children build caring relationships with adults and peers.

MANAGING YOUR ANGER & STRESS: Helping You Cope with Challenges

In this recorded online session, you will learn: 

  • How to communicate with an angry, sensitive or resistant child.

  • Why we get angry and how we can use anger to make necessary changes in our lives.

  • Why knowing your family history will help you teach/parent children more effectively.

  • What you need to set-up a safe environment that provides tools for kids to manage their anger.

  • To implement a program of daily self-care to help you shift your perspective and stay emotionally available.

  • How to set personal boundaries for your mental, emotional and, physical well-being.

CONSCIOUS COMMUNICATION: How to Talk to Kids

In this recorded online session, you will learn: 

  • Why kids "don’t listen" and what you can do to make sure your limits and requests are heard.

  • How to view behavior through a non-judgmental lens and support children as they practice new skills.

  • How to express care and concern without trying to control or force your child to change.

  • A 4-step framework for trauma-sensitive communication that eliminates arguing, negotiation, and permissiveness.

EMOTIONAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN: Building Resilience with Empathy

In this recorded online session, you will learn: 

  • How emotional, mental or physical trauma shapes a child’s perspective of the world and others.

  • Tools for using empathy to connect and heal misunderstandings and navigate conflict.

  • Strategies for accessing compassion and strengthening empathy in children.

  • What to do when empathy seems like it isn’t "working" and how to talk to your child's teachers.


As a parent, caregiver, educator or staff member you will learn to:

  • Create behavioral change through a trusting relationship with your child.

  • Address the root cause of behavior without anger or punitive consequences.

  • Feel competent and capable of handling your child's stress + school challenges.

Children will learn to:

  • Feel and understand the purpose of their feelings.

  • Heal the pain from past experiences.

  • Self-regulate their emotions and behaviors.

  • Problem-solve peacefully and cooperatively.

  • Expand their tolerance for frustration.

  • Form healthy relationships with peers and adults.

  • Build skills which help them focus, learn, and remember.



We love Lori’s trauma-sensitive programs and have used them for several years to train our staff and offer to our community of parents.  

Rachelle Touzard, Ph.D., LMFT, Project Director, Los Angeles County Office of Education



Lori has a gift for taking the ideas of conscious parenting and making them concrete by teaching us how to communicate in new ways. 

Dr. Shefali Tsabary, Clinical Psychologist & Author of The Conscious Parent  



Our parents raved about Lori's classes.

Linda Flores, Children's Bureau, California




You have transformed out house.

Diane Dawson, California



We recently purchased your series and it is has already touched me so deeply. Your insights are helping me to grieve for my own childhood and to see the patterns that I have been unconsciously repeating. Everything I have ever read about parenting previous to discovering your work has never felt right to me. There has always been a part of me that has known that using my love for children as a way to punish and reward them is just wrong. Reading your work and listening to your classes has helped me to see that my inner voice was right all along. I have done a lot of spiritual and emotional work in my life and one of the concepts that I have spent a lot of time with has been moving from ego to spirit. When I am learning about changing paradigms from fear based parenting to love based parenting, I see this as moving from ego based parenting to spirit based parenting. Everything I am learning in your classes resonates with me on a spiritual level. Thank you so much for making this invaluable information available!! You are truly changing the world with the work that you do!

B. Stanley, California


Thank you so much, Lori , for this valuable, supportive and very helpful information. My husband and I feel empowered and comforted ourselves knowing that we now have better tools to be better parents to our son.

Melanie de Assis, California


I can't say enough about the practical advice you get from this seminar! Not only by what Lori teaches, and not only by the examples she offers, but the way she problem solves with the seminar participants and also, just the way she speaks and her demeanor during the seminar! I learned how to speak much calmer and clearer (perfect for kids!) by listening to her example! She also intently listens and strives to understand all the seminar participants- what an excellent example in empathy that was for me, as well. This seminar helped my parenting take a swift turn in the right direction. It's worth every penny.

Soni Albright, California

Meet Lori

Lori Petro

Founder & Child Advocate

Lori Petro

Lori Petro is the founder of Teach Through Love and creator of the Conscious Communication Cards. She holds a Bachelors in Elementary & Early Childhood Education and a certification in trauma-informed parent education. She founded Teach Through Love after her own self-healing journey as a vehicle to provide parents with a new framework for communicating with kids. Lori is passionate about promoting social reform through education, community-building, and storytelling. A champion of conscious parenting and non-punitive justice, she's happiest when creating informative and entertaining content to help others heal their inner child and build authentic family relationships.