In honor of National Poetry Month, we’re sharing a spoken-word poem about TBRI®, A Legacy of Hope, by Brandon Reyes of Austin, TX. (more…)
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Our annual Spring Sale is here!
The Connected Child in Latvian!
by: Emmelie Pickett
Here at the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development, we often say that we are learning to change the world for children – and we do mean the world. Sadly, there are vulnerable children across the globe needing trust-based relationships to help them heal. We design trainings and resources, but we rely on our international partners to help us take Trust-based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) to non-English speaking countries.
Vesma Sandberg, a TBRI® Practitioner, recently worked to have our book, The Connected Child, translated into Latvian. The book was released in February 2018, and we sat down with Vesma to learn more about her experience through the translation and publication process. (more…)
A New Resource for Clinicians: Attachment Theory in Action

by Emmelie Pickett
We’re thrilled to announce the release of a new resource for clinicians, Attachment Theory in Action: Building Connections Between Children and Parents. (more…)
Building Resilience in the Aftermath of Natural Disasters
by: Katie Thornton
In light of the recent hurricanes in Texas and Florida and the wildfires in several Western states, we wanted to offer some ideas for helping families cope in times of natural disaster. We’re mindful that many of our partners and TBRI Practitioners have been affected by these events, and our hearts are with you as you navigate this difficult time.
While we most often focus on relational trauma in our work, recent news has turned our focus to another risk factor of childhood trauma: natural disasters. (more…)
3 Questions for Teaching Self-Regulation

by: Katie Thornton
Self-Regulation is a key component of the TBRI Empowering Principles. What do we mean by self-regulation? (more…)
TBRI® Classrooms

by Emmelie Pickett
Because millions of American school-aged children have experienced abuse, neglect or trauma, we have developed many resources to help educators create healing learning environments to meet the unique needs of these vulnerable children. While some of these resources are not geared specifically to a classroom setting, our hope is that anyone who works with children from hard places can glean insights about how trauma affects the brain and how to bring deep healing to the children they serve.
TBRI® Life Values Free Printable!

TBRI Life Values are short scripts designed to guide children toward optimal behavior. What we love most about the TBRI Life Values is that they create a language of respect in families, groups, and classrooms. Remember that TBRI Life Values are most effective when they’re taught proactively during moments of calm when children are ready to learn.
Feel free to print the set of 10 TBRI Life Values and hang them on a classroom bulletin board, on a refrigerator at home, or in an office to remind yourself to use the TBRI Life Values with the children you serve. As the children learn these short scripts, these signs can be a great reminder for them, too.
For more information about the TBRI Life Values, check out Chapter 5 of our Trust-Based Parenting DVD or this article.
Click here to download the TBRI Life Values Printable
TBRI Mantra: Don’t Quit
In this series we are exploring mantras and their role in caring for children from hard places. Dr. Cross’s TBRI mantra includes nuggets of wisdom that can be helpful for anyone who is using Trust-Based Relational Intervention®. If you haven’t yet, go ahead and read the previous posts in this series before reading this installment.
Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV

by Emmelie Pickett
To put it lightly, caring for children from hard places is no easy task. In fact, if we’re being honest, some days you may wish that you could throw in the towel or at the very least, take a break. Making a self-care plan that includes breaks is vital to trust-based caregiving. (more…)
10 Resources for Understanding TBRI®

by Emmelie Pickett
Professionals and parents who are first learning about TBRI® often ask us, “Where do I start?” We’ve created numerous resources (many of them free!) to help anyone serving children from hard places develop a better understanding of Trust-Based Relational Intervention®. Here are ten of our favorites: (more…)