by: Dr. David Cross I like newspapers, and my favorite newspaper is The New York Times. A few weeks ago I read a column by David Brooks, titled “Mental Health in the Age of the Coronavirus.” In it, he touched on the core principles of our work at the KPICD. In just a few words,… Read more »
Posts Tagged: TBRI
Connected in Crisis: Families
Our work at the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development is centered around connection. We study attachment between parents/caregivers and children and connections within communities. So much of Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) is based on the idea that we are hardwired to connect. But what happens when connection in the traditional sense is cut off? With… Read more »
On Staying Connected in Crisis
Editors note:This post is from our Founder and Director, Dr. David Cross in light of COVID-19 (Coronavirus). We hope you are all staying healthy, safe, and connected during this strange and uncertain time. Connected in Crisis by: Dr. David Cross When I was a child, we were asked to crouch under our desks during nuclear… Read more »
The Benefits of Play in Cognitive Development
Editor’s note: While it may seem like a simple idea, play is fundamental to forming trust-based relationships. Play permeates the TBRI empowering, connecting, and correcting principles and as Dr. Purvis once said: “Play disarms fear, builds connectedness, and teaches social skills and competencies for life.” We’ve recently received a few questions about the benefits of… Read more »
TBRI® Animate: Toxic Stress & The Brain
From the time we are born, our brains have 100 billion neurons and begin to form synaptic connections that make up who we are and how we function. Tragically, severe or prolonged abuse or neglect manifests in toxic stress which derails brain development and can even affect the immune system.
Starting Small: Nutrition and Hydration
by: Amanda Purvis One simple way to start implementing Trust-based Relational Intervention is to empower your child’s body by meeting physical needs. Nutrition and hydration play key factors in a child’s ability to regulate, and we can help set them up for success by making sure they eating and drinking enough.
A New Book From Dr. Karyn Purvis

Update: The Connected Parent will be published on July 7, 2020. Read more about the book here or pre-order here. We’re thrilled to announce the release of a new book for parents of children from hard places, co-authored by Dr. Karyn Purvis, the Institute’s late Founder and Director. This book is Dr. Purvis’s last written work,… Read more »
Poetry of Doing
by: David Cross, PhD “How to Be a Poet” (to remind myself) by Wendell Berry in Land, Life, and the Poetry of Creatures i Make a place to sit down. Sit down. Be quiet. You must depend upon affection, reading, knowledge, skill — more of each than you have — inspiration, work, growing older, patience,… Read more »
Starting Small: Eye Contact

by: Amanda Purvis Often times when people first hear about Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) they can feel overwhelmed. If that’s you, take a deep breath. Just like with learning any new skill, we must start small. In this series, we’ll give easy tips to help you start using TBRI®in your home or with the children… Read more »
TBRI® and Autism Spectrum Disorder
by: Emmelie Pickett We are often asked, “Will TBRI work with my child who has Autism?” Trust-Based Relational Intervention® (TBRI®) aims to help children from “hard places” of abuse, neglect, and/or trauma. While not every child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has such a history, research shows that children with ASD are at least two…