Caelan Kuban, LMSW, CTC-S
TLC Director and Certified Trainer

Caelan is Director of The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC), a program of the Starr Institute for Training. As a Certified Trauma Consultant-Supervisor, she provides trauma assessment and short-term trauma intervention for students utilizing trauma informed and evidence based practices including TLC’s SITCAP® model Caelan also provides training across the country to professionals working with traumatized children and families and has numerous publications in such journals as the School Social Work Journal, Children and Schools, Residential Treatment for Children and Youth, Caelan is currently pursuing her doctorate in clinical psychology at Cal Southern University. Click here to download a resume.

Cae is the instructor for many TLC online courses and also presents the following courses:

ADHD & Trauma

ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed and unfortunately, one of the most misdiagnosed disorders today. The course begins with video segments which provide overviews of typical PTSD and ADHD diagnoses. However, since we know that very few children will present with “typical” or easy to diagnose disorders we then discuss etiology of both ADHD and PTSD in children. In addition, extensive research that has been conducted on the relationship between maltreatment and ADHD is presented.Lastly, specific assessment recommendations and a case example support the importance of being trauma-informed and providing comprehensive assessments to all children. Click here to view a brief excerpt.

Children of Trauma

This is the first of three TLC core courses that will lay the foundation to help you understand the differences between grief and trauma and to see trauma as an experience rather than a diagnostic category. Learn how to become a “witness” to a child’s traumatic experience to best appreciate the intensity of the experience and the needs of the child; to see what he now sees as he looks at himself and the world around him. Video-taped interviews will demonstrate how TLC’s evidence-based, structured sensory intervention process brings children relief from the terror of their traumatic experiences. This structured process is used in schools and agencies across the country and has been proven, via research, to reduce trauma-specific reactions across all three major sub-categories. Session objectives.

Structured Sensory Interventions

This is the second of the three TLC core courses. You will learn trauma-specific intervention tasks and techniques as well as see them demonstrated. This is a practice day. The presenter engages attendees in an encapsulated demonstration of the major sensory structured processes. Attendees will also participate in additional activities and, by days end, will feel comfortable using any of the TLC intervention programs. A brief presentation of the TLC evidence-based research and outcome will support the value of TLC’s structured sensory programs in schools and agencies. Session objectives.

Advanced Structured Sensory Interventions

This session will engage participants in a variety of advanced psycho-educational, sensory activities to allow for the use of these interventions beyond the core TLC program or for use in those situations where it is not possible to use the full program. Play therapy activities will cover early childhood through adulthood and address the sensory experiences associated with trauma or grief. This is a practice session so participants experience the full value and application of these play therapy activities. Rap It Write, Strike A Pose, Ready…Set…R.E.L.A.X., My Play Island and This Reminds Me Of… are just a few of the sensory activities presented. TLC activities are used in school and agency settings.

Trauma Informed Assessment and Practice

Didactic presentation and comprehensive child and adolescent case examples provide participants with the framework and support for using trauma informed and strength based assessment to best develop and implement trauma informed practices to enhance resilience and posttraumatic growth when moving children and adolescents from victim to survivor to thriver. Also provides several trauma informed examples of intervention strategies to use with children and adolescents based upon assessment outcomes. Also available online.

Zero to Three Trauma Interventions

This course will provide you with the background and tools needed to work with infants and toddlers and their caregivers after they have experienced a traumatic situation. You will learn how to educate parents, facilitate secure attachments and reduce arousal reactions so that healing can occur.  Also available online.