Sian is a psychologist that works with children who have experienced abuse and neglect and the adults that care for these children. She is a certified Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapist, consultant and trainer. Sian trains and supervises internationally and has a private practice in Kingston Ontario where she specializes in the assessment and treatment of developmental trauma. She works with foster and adoptive families as well as adults who as children experienced abuse and neglect. Sian has a particular interest in trauma-informed education. She has partnered with the Limestone District School Board and the Algonquin and Lakeshore Catholic District School Board in Kingston to develop trauma-informed programs and schools using Dyadic Developmental Practice as the framework.

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Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Practice and Parenting [are rehabilitation for the nervous system. DDP provides a way for children who have been hurt by relationships build trust in safe adults and heal from trauma.  For more on DDP and useful resources please visit DDPnetwork.org

 

Whether psychotherapy, practice or parenting, Sian first works with care-givers or educators to understand their experience of helping children who mistrust them. Parents and educators learn how a child’s challenging behaviour is protective, how trauma can change the trajectory of  brain development making it even more difficult for a child to be successful in relationships and learning and then how to increase the sense of safety for a child using Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy (PACE) and Affective/Reflective dialogue. Once adults feel confident in their new understanding and have safety themselves to embark on the difficult journey of changing mis-trust to trust, Sian works with the adult and child to open up the possibility for a new way of being in relationships.

In our journey to provide Trauma Informed Education in Kingston we have developed a specialized program for children – Belong. We have also worked with four elementary schools to help all staff become familiar with DDP as a way of creating safety in relationships.