Local therapist Lizzy Selves Promotes Trauma-Informed Care Through TBRI Classes
By CCC News Staff
THE DALLES, Ore. July 25, 2025 — A new series of community classes will offer local caregivers tools to better support children who have experienced trauma, as part of a growing initiative rooted in Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) — a therapeutic model designed to promote healing and trust in children from hard places.
In a recent episode of the CCC News Podcast, a local therapist and TBRI practitioner, Lizzy Selves, explained how the method equips foster, adoptive, and kinship caregivers with strategies to meet the emotional and developmental needs of children affected by early trauma.
“TBRI is really about helping kids who have experienced harm — and helping their caregivers understand how trauma has shaped their brain and body,” the therapist said. “It’s about meeting those needs in a connected, attuned, and compassionate way.”
Originally developed for use with foster and adopted children, TBRI emphasizes three core principles: empowering children by meeting physical needs, connecting through healthy attachment, and correcting behaviors through supportive, trust-based strategies. The therapist said children with trauma histories often struggle to trust adults, making relationships a key part of healing.
Beyond helping children regulate emotions and behaviors, TBRI asks adults to do their own “inner work” — exploring their own attachment history, regulation skills, and responses to challenging behaviors. “A big part of the training is about self-awareness,” the therapist noted. “We ask, ‘What triggers me as a caregiver? How can I stay regulated so I can help the child feel safe?’”
The classes also address practical concerns such as sleep, nutrition, movement, and sensory needs — all of which can be critical for children navigating trauma. “Sometimes the problem isn’t a behavior,” the therapist said. “It’s that the child is dehydrated or hasn’t had a snack in hours. Just like adults, they can’t regulate when their basic needs aren’t met.”
A six-week introductory virtual class begins Thursday, July 31, and is open to foster, adoptive and kinship caregivers. Each 90-minute session will be held online from 3:30 to 5 p.m. A teen-focused version of the class begins Sept. 17, followed by a new morning series starting Nov. 5 for parents working toward reunification and kinship caregivers supporting children in DHS custody.
The therapist emphasized that TBRI isn’t just for foster or adoptive families. “Anyone who works with kids — teachers, coaches, relatives — can benefit from understanding these principles. You never know what a child has been through, and their behavior is often communicating an unmet need.”
For caregivers interested in the program, the therapist encouraged people to reach out for resources, noting that TBRI books, podcasts and videos are widely available. “I’m happy to connect with anyone who wants to learn more,” she said.
Information on upcoming classes visit https://fourriversfamily.org/events/tbri-trust-based-relational-intervention
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