This series of four trainings is intended to provide clinicians, program managers and other interested staff with a basic familiarity with the theoretical and methodological foundation of unconditional care. 

Trainings presented by John Sprinson, Ph.D, the Clinical Director at Seneca Center. John joined Seneca during its first year of existence and has been actively involved in the clinical leadership of the agency throughout its history.  With Ken Berrick, Seneca’s founder, John co-authored Unconditional Care: Relationship-based, Behavioral Intervention With Vulnerable Children and Families, which was published by Oxford University Press in 2010.  This book is a comprehensive statement of the theoretical and methodological base of the agency’s efforts to support vulnerable children and youth.  Since the 1980s John has been interested in attachment theory, learning theory, trauma and clinical training and staff training.  John received his graduate training in Psychology at Duke University and was a Post Doctoral Fellow at UCSF.  Prior to joining Seneca Center he was an assistant director of a day treatment program for young children.  In addition to his work at Seneca John maintains an active psychotherapy practice in Oakland where he sees children, adolescents and parents. 

Child Development and Relational Treatment – 4BBS CEUs*
This training begins with an introduction to attachment theory and the critical importance of the development of social connections with others.  The training then focuses on the concept, from attachment theory, of the “internal working model” and how it can be utilized as basis for thinking about relationship-based intervention.  The development and use of specific relational stances to shift clients’ internal models is discussed.  A case study of an aggressive child is reviewed.  The training also includes discussion of disorganized attachment and adult states of mind with respect to attachment.

Positive Behavioral Interventions – 4BBS CEUs
This training is an overview of approaches to behavior change that may be useful across the variety of Seneca services: from highly structured residential programs to community based and outpatient services.  The training is very intentionally focused on use of positive strategies that emphasize the teaching of new behaviors and skills.  Use of these strategies in both milieu and community is discussed. 

Curiosity and Relational Assessment – 4BBS CEUs
This training engages the specific problem of conducting a thoughtful and thorough assessment of a young client.  A variety of challenges and barriers, which make good assessment more difficult, are discussed.  A set of fundamental premises of good assessment is presented and then a relational approach to assessment is described.  The goal of this approach is the development of a thoughtful description of the child’s internal working model, a review of ways in which workers might tend to confirm problematic elements of the child’s internal working model and finally a description of a specific, intentional disconfirming stance that can lead to shifts in the internal model. 

Trauma and Its Impact on Child Development – 4BBS CEUs*
 This training focuses on the special problems of working with clients who have experienced significant trauma, maltreatment or neglect.  A review of the history of the field of trauma studies is presented with special attention to recent efforts to establish the diagnosis of developmental trauma disorder.  Impacts on social functioning and cognitive abilities are reviewed. Also included is a discussion of the intersection of trauma and attachment theory and the special problems of children with disorganized attachments.  The training includes an in-depth review of a case illustration.