Sibling relationships can be complex, particularly when families are formed through permanency, and children bring different experiences of belonging, attachment, and trauma.

For siblings who have experienced relational trauma before joining a family, conflict can feel confusing and intense. Their reactions may seem disproportionate to what is happening in the moment, while differences in developmental needs and life experiences can make it challenging for caregivers to respond effectively.

How do we balance the individual needs of children who have experienced trauma while also building healthy family relationships and fostering values such as fairness, loyalty, kindness, and respect?

This interactive workshop will explore how understanding each child’s developmental capacity, rather than focusing only on chronological age, can help caregivers respond to competing needs and create greater opportunities for connection and success.

Participants will explore:

  1. How developmental needs, rather than chronological age alone, can influence sibling interactions and conflict.
  2. Ways to prioritize and respond to the individual needs of children who may have different trauma histories and capacities.
  3. Traditional expectations of family life through the lens of children with complex developmental and relational needs.
  4. Belonging in families where some children are biologically related to their parents and others are not, and considering how these experiences can shape sibling relationships.

Through practical strategies and a trauma-informed, developmental lens, participants will better understand what drives sibling conflict and how caregivers can create conditions that support healthier, more connected relationships.

Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026
Time: 6:15 to 7:45 p.m. PCT
Session fee: Free
Format: Online via Microsoft Teams

Please note 
This session will be recorded. All registered participants will receive a private link to the recording, which will remain available for 2 weeks after the event. Families who are unable to attend live will still be able to access the full workshop at their convenience. If you prefer that your name not appear on the recording, you’re welcome to join the session using a pseudonym.

About the Facilitator 
Andrea holds a master’s degree in Counselling Psychology and has extensive experience as an Early Childhood Mental Health Clinician. She specializes in therapeutic responses to attachment and trauma, focusing on children and youth who have experienced caregiver loss and placement disruptions. Andrea has worked overseas in orphanages and studied the effects of abuse, neglect, and developmental trauma on children of various ages. She is trained in several therapeutic modalities, including EMDR, Parent Child Relationship Therapy, and Watch, Wait, and Wonder Intervention. Andrea is also an adoptive parent of two teenagers and brings firsthand experience with the unique challenges of parenting through adoption.