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On-Demand

Working with the Earliest Forms of Developmental and Complex Trauma: Understanding the NARM® (NeuroAffective Relational Model®) Connection Survival Style

Laurence Heller, PhD
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Information

Recorded

  • -

Description

This workshop explores the earliest forms of developmental and complex trauma, with particular focus on the NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model) Connection Survival Style. Participants will learn how early environmental failures—including chronic disruptions in attachment and physiology—impact identity, create patterns of disconnection, and affect lifelong core capacities such as trust, connection, and the body’s felt sense of safety. Drawing on the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®), the presentation demonstrates how clinicians can address preverbal and physiological trauma adaptations by tracking connection–disconnection patterns, cultivating relational attunement, and working within a present-moment orientation.

Educational Goal

The education goal of this workshop is for participants to develop a deeper understanding of the NARM® framework for addressing the earliest forms of developmental trauma through the lens of NARM’s Connection Survival Style and recognize how NARM principles foster a client’s felt sense of safety, relational attunement, and the possibility of gradual psychobiological reconnection with self and others.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

  • Describe how early disruptions in early attachment and physiology impact identity development and contribute to lifelong patterns of disconnection.

  • Summarize the core dilemma of the NARM Connection Survival Style and its clinical relevance in treating early developmental trauma.

  • Differentiate between cognitive-focused methods and somatic–relational approaches when addressing preverbal and physiological trauma adaptations.

Target Audience

  • Addiction Professional
  • Counselor
  • Marriage & Family Therapist
  • Psychologist
  • Social Worker

Presenters

Laurence Heller, PhD
Dr. Laurence Heller is the founder of the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM®), a psychobiological approach for treating developmental trauma, outlined in his bestselling book 'Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for Relationship,' now available in more than 15 languages. Fluent in several languages, Dr. Heller teaches NARM seminars across the U.S. and Europe, with his teaching team offering trainings worldwide. He holds a PhD in psychology and spent more than three decades in private practice. His other works include 'The Practical Guide for Healing Developmental Trauma,' co-authored with Brad Kammer, and 'Crash Course,' co-written with Diane Poole Heller. Dr. Heller is also part of a project led by Christina Bethell, PhD, of Johns Hopkins, aimed at bringing trauma-informed care to pediatricians and general practitioners. Their first article, “Social and Relational Health Risks and Common Mental Health Problems Among US Children,” appeared in 'Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Clinics of North America' in 2021 and was co-authored by several professionals working on the initiative.

Financially Sponsored By

  • Meadows Behavioral Healthcare