When the World Feels Unsafe:
Helping Parents Guide Children Through Scary Moments
December 10, 2026 11 am - 12:30 pm
Young children today live through all kinds of scary moments, medical emergencies, domestic violence, community violence, ICE encounters, housing instability, and more, often involving a parent or caregiver they depend on for safety. When a child's world feels unsafe, parents are the ones who help rebuild that sense of security, but they often aren't sure how.
This training is designed for professionals who want practical, grounded tools for helping parents support their children through hard moments. Using case studies drawn from direct clinical work, we'll look at what these reactions can look like day to day, how caregivers can respond in ways that help a child feel safe again, and how to tell the difference between expected adjustment and something that needs a referral. We'll also talk about the layered stress many families are already carrying, and how that shapes the kind of support parents need.
The goal is simple: help the people who support parents and families feel more confident guiding caregivers through these moments, so parents feel more equipped to help their children heal.
WHO THIS SESSION IS FOR
Home visitors, family support staff, early childhood professionals, and clinicians who work directly with parents and young children, and who want practical tools for supporting families navigating acute stress and destabilizing events.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of this training, participants will be able to:
1. Recognize common signs of acute stress in young children following a scary or destabilizing event.
2. Coach parents in using simple, age-appropriate language to help their child feel safe again.
3. Guide parents in using co-regulation and safety-rebuilding strategies at home.
4. Recognize how layered family stressors shape the kind of support a family needs.
Instructors: Lisa White, LCSW-R and Michelly Garcia-Arroyo
Registration may be paid by credit card or check. Please mail check to:
NYSAIMH PO Box 5056 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866. and note - when registering, select "pay later" option to pay by check.
Healthy Familes New York staff have been provided with a coupon code to use at checkout for their group discount
Reminders will be sent to the registrants email with Zoom details.
Cancellation Policy No refund can be made for cancellation seven or fewer working days before the event or for no-shows. Cancellations more than seven working days before a workshop will result in a refund, less a $15.00 cancellation fee. Requests for refunds must be received in writing.