Explore attachment, emotional wounds, and practical re-parenting strategies in this interactive lunch-and-learn offering 3 NBCC clock hours.
About this Event
Early experiences can shape how clients relate, regulate emotions, and respond to themselves long into adulthood. Understanding those patterns can open meaningful opportunities for compassionate clinical work.
Join Marlana Peterson, LCMHC, LCAS, and Felipe Blue, LCMHC, LCAS, CCS, at More Than Therapy for a three-hour training exploring inner child work through a trauma-informed psychodynamic lens.
Through clinical discussion, breakout activities, and role-play, participants will examine how early relationships, unmet developmental needs, and internalized messages may influence present-day concerns. We will explore practical approaches to self-compassion, emotional integration, and re-parenting while attending to client readiness, cultural context, and therapeutic boundaries.
Event details
- Date: Saturday, October 24, 2026
- Start time: 12:00 PM
- Location: More Than Therapy, Durham, NC
- Format: In-person lunch-and-learn
- Continuing education: 3 NBCC clock hours through More Than Therapy’s ACEP training program
- Presenters: Marlana Peterson, LCMHC, LCAS, and Felipe Blue, LCMHC, LCAS, CCS
What you’ll explore
- The inner child concept and its place in psychodynamic and relational approaches.
- How attachment experiences and perceptions of safety influence emotional and relational patterns.
- Shame, self-criticism, and barriers to self-acceptance.
- Grounding, compassionate self-dialogue, journaling, and other re-parenting strategies.
- Cultural humility, ethical boundaries, and pacing when working with trauma-related material.
Learning objectives
By the end of the training, participants will be able to:
- Define inner child work within a psychodynamic framework.
- Compare perspectives on inner child healing across psychological and philosophical traditions.
- Explain how safe and unsafe early environments may influence attachment and emotional development.
- Identify barriers to self-acceptance and emotional expression.
- Describe readiness considerations and introductory re-parenting interventions.
- Identify developmental skills that can be strengthened through psychoeducation and supported practice.
Who should attend?
Mental health counselors, addiction professionals, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and other behavioral health professionals interested in integrating these concepts into clinical practice.
Connect with colleagues, deepen your understanding, and leave with practical ideas for supporting compassionate change.
Event venue & nearby stays
More Than Therapy, 324 Blackwell Street Bay 9 , Durham, United States
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