TRIBE Talk

Send us Fan Mail For this episode of TRIBE Talk, we provide a introduction to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and explore how its core principles can support practitioners working with children, families, and carers. ACT encourages us to stay connected to what matters most, even in the presence of difficult thoughts, emotions, and workplace challenges. We discuss how ACT can help practitio...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore five common mistakes that can unintentionally damage trust and weaken relationships with children. Most practitioners enter the profession because they want to make a positive difference, yet even well-intentioned interactions can leave children feeling misunderstood, unheard, or unsafe. Through a trauma-informed and behavioural lens, we e...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk , we explore one of the most common challenges faced by parents, carers, and professionals: supporting children and teenagers who become angry. While anger is often viewed as the problem, it is usually a signal that something deeper is going on. Beneath anger may be fear, anxiety, frustration, shame, overwhelm, or unmet needs that a young person is st...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore why bedtime can be one of the most challenging parts of the day for some children. While bedtime struggles are often viewed as a behavioural issue, they can frequently be linked to anxiety, attachment needs, emotional regulation difficulties, and past experiences of trauma. As the distractions of the day reduce, worries, fears, and big emo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore what it really means for a children's home to be trauma-informed. While many services describe themselves as trauma-informed, the reality is that trauma-informed care is much more than training, policies, or good intentions. It requires a whole-system approach that shapes how staff understand behaviour, build relationships, respond to...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk , we explore what to do when a child’s behaviour feels like it is escalating—when emotions are becoming bigger, conflict is increasing, and strategies that once worked no longer seem effective. For many parents and carers, these moments can feel overwhelming, exhausting, and difficult to make sense of. Using a trauma-informed and behavioural lens, we...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we bring the voice of foster carers to the forefront highlighting what they wish professionals truly understood about trauma-informed care. Foster carers are on the front line of supporting children with complex trauma, yet their insights are often underrepresented in decision-making, planning, and intervention design. This episode explores five key...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore why endings, big or small, can feel particularly difficult for care-experienced children. Whether it’s the end of a visit, a school day, a relationship, or a placement, these moments can trigger intense emotional responses that may seem disproportionate to what’s happening in the present. Through a trauma-informed lens, we unpack how past...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, play therapist Aleisha walks us through two well-known attachment-based interventions: Theraplay and PCAP (Parent Child Attachment Play). Both approaches focus on strengthening the relationship between the child and their caregiver, using structured, playful interactions to build connection, safety, and emotional regulation. We explore how each appro...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore the growing intersection between online risk and childhood trauma, and why some children are more vulnerable in digital spaces than others. While the online world offers connection and opportunity, it also presents real risks particularly for children whose past experiences may impact their decision-making, boundaries, and need for connect...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore how to approach difficult conversations with children in a way that feels safe, supportive, and trauma-informed. Whether the topic is loss, family history, behaviour, or past experiences, these moments can feel daunting for adults—especially when there’s a fear of saying the wrong thing or causing distress. Through a trauma-informed lens,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore how exam stress can impact teenagers, particularly those with trauma histories, and why some young people experience exams as overwhelming, threatening, or emotionally intense. We unpack how pressure, fear of failure, and high expectations can activate stress responses, making it harder for teens to concentrate, retain information, and per...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore why Easter can be unexpectedly challenging for children with trauma histories. With increased excitement, disrupted routines, sensory overload, and high levels of sugar, what looks like a fun day can quickly become overwhelming. We unpack how chocolate, anticipation, and change can act as powerful triggers, leading to big emotions and beha...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we go beyond the surface to explore what really happens in play therapy. Guided our play therapist Aleisha, we unpack how play becomes a child’s natural language allowing them to express thoughts, emotions, and experiences that they may not yet have the words for. This episode offers a clear, practical insight into what sessions look like, how therap...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore a situation many parents recognise: teachers report that a child is calm, cooperative, and thriving at school—yet at home the same child seems overwhelmed, emotional, or prone to meltdowns. This contrast can be confusing and sometimes even lead parents to feel that their concerns are being dismissed. Through a trauma-informed and developme...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore one of the most important shifts in trauma-informed care: learning to see behaviour as communication. For children who have experienced trauma, behaviour is often the language through which distress, fear, confusion, or unmet needs are expressed. What may appear as defiance, withdrawal, aggression, or avoidance is often a signal about what...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore a question that many parents and professionals quietly wrestle with: does it matter whether we view a child’s difficulties through a trauma lens or a diagnostic lens? Is one more helpful than the other, or are we asking the wrong question entirely? We unpack how trauma histories and diagnoses can overlap, and where they diverge. This episo...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore what truly makes a difference for children who have experienced trauma: adults working together with clarity, consistency, and shared understanding. When carers, teachers, therapists, and social workers operate in silos, children often experience mixed messages and inconsistent responses. But when adults align around shared principles and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, Laura is joined by Kim Matthews, co-author of the paper What Is Life Story Work? How defining approaches can bring clarity to research, training and practice. Together, they unpack what Life Story Work actually is, why it is so often misunderstood, and how it can help care-experienced children in foster care, adoptive homes, special guardianship and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore the difference between behaviour policies and behaviour support when working with children who have experienced trauma. We discuss why children who are struggling with behaviour don’t need more consequences they need behaviour support plans that are responsive, individualised, and grounded in an understanding of trauma, development, and re...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we explore how friendship difficulties are shaped by complex and developmental trauma, and why it is essential to understand the pre-requisite skills children need before they can successfully build and maintain friendships. We focus on the foundational emotional, relational, and regulatory capacities that are often overlooked yet are critical for me...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we tackle one of the most misunderstood—and most powerful—concepts in behavioural science: reinforcement. Often confused with rewards, bribery, or “letting behaviour slide,” reinforcement is frequently dismissed before it’s properly understood. This episode cuts through the noise to clarify what reinforcement really is and why it plays a central role...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we unpack one of the most common—and most confusing—experiences for parents, carers, and professionals: behaviour that appears to come out of nowhere. Through a trauma-informed lens, we explore how triggers linked to past experiences can activate survival responses in the present, even when there is no obvious cause in the here and now. Grounded in b...

Send us Fan Mail In this week’s episode of TRIBE Talk, we take a clear, trauma-informed look at behaviour therapy—what it is, what it isn’t, and how it can meaningfully support children with trauma histories. We explore how modern behaviour therapy has evolved integrating compassion, developmental understanding, and evidence-based psychological approaches. Through a practical and balanced lens, th...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of TRIBE Talk, we examine the post-Christmas return to routine through a trauma-informed lens, exploring why transitions after the holidays can trigger heightened emotions, anxiety, and behavioural challenges for children with trauma histories. We unpack how disruption to structure, sleep, and expectations can activate stress responses rather than defiance. Using i...