SPEAKING & TRAINING

Allison has over 25 years of experience speaking and training on a broad range of topics in the fields of children’s mental health, child welfare, adverse childhood experiences and trauma informed care. She is passionate about empowering professionals and parents with the knowledge, tools and resources needed to change, heal and thrive! She is available for keynote speaking, training, curriculum development and consulting.

Allison frequently presents at national, state and local mental health and child welfare conferences including the Child Welfare League of America, the National Association of Counsel for Children, ATTACh, the American Adoption Congress , the North American Council on Adoptable Children, the National Foster Parent Association, San Diego County Children’s System of Care Training Academy, the Georgetown University National Symposium on Children’s Mental Health Systems of Care and the National Association of Counsel for Children.

In 2017, Allison was honored with an ‘Angels in Adoption’ Award from the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. To learn more about their advocacy on behalf of children in foster care and adoption please visit www.ccainstitute.org

Areas of specialization include: 

  • Trauma
  • Attachment
  • Child Development
  • Children’s Mental Health
  • Adoption/Foster Care
  • Adverse Childhood Experiences {ACE’s}
  • Systems of Care
  • Developmental (Complex) Trauma
  • Family Attachment Therapy
  • Adoption Clinical Competence
  • Attachment Based Parenting
  • Parenting the Child of Loss & Trauma
  • Relational Trauma
  • Lifelong Issues in the Adoption Constellation
  • Parenting
  • Grief and Loss
  • Trauma Informed Care
  • Siblings in Care
  • Teens & Tweens in Adoption
  • Search and Reunion
  • Open Adoption
  • Transitional Aged Youth
  • Kinship Care

Allison has over 20 years of experience speaking and training on a broad range of topics in the fields of children’s mental health, child welfare and trauma informed care. She is available for keynote speaking, training and consulting.

Recent Presentations:

  • Parenting Children and Teens Who Have Experienced Loss and Trauma, Grossmont College & SDYS, San Diego, Nov 2023
  • Seven Core Issues for Children and Teens, Adoption Council of Ontario Permanency Conference, Nov 2023 
  • Kinship Families: Supporting Inter-Generational Healing, ATTACh Conference, Virginia, Oct 2023 
  • Parenting in the Trauma Trenches, ATTACh Conference, Virginia, Oct 2023
  • Talking About the Tough Stuff: Grief, Loss, Trauma, Identity and Adoption/Permanency, Voices for CASA Arizona, Aug 2023
  • Why Connections Matter, Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services, July 2023
  • Talking About the Tough Stuff: Grief, Loss, Trauma, Identity and Adoption/Permanency, Penny Lane & LADCFS, Los Angeles, April 2023
  • Attachment, Trauma and the Seven Core Issues in Clinical Practice (6 hrs), Manitoba, Canada, Jan 2023 
  • How to Talk With Kids About Adoption, Foster Care and Attachment (webinar), available at Dr Robyn Silverman’s Podcast, Dec 2022
  • Parenting in the Trauma Trenches, PACT Adoption Council of Ontario, Canada, Nov 2022
  • Parenting in the Trauma Trenches (webinar), available at National Center on Adoption and Permanency, Sept 2022
  • Attachment, Trauma and the Seven Core Issues in Clinical Practice (12 hrs) Aspiranet, Turloc, Ca, Sept 2022
  • Attachment, Trauma and the Seven Core Issues in Adoption/Permanency, Lilliput/Wayfinder Family Services, Ca, May 2022
  • ACT: An Adoption and Permanency Curriculum for Child Welfare and Mental Health Professionals (48 hrs), San Diego County Child Welfare Services, Spring 2022
  • ACT: An Adoption and Permanency Curriculum for Child Welfare and Mental Health Professionals (48 hrs), Santa Clara County Department of Family and Children’s Services, Spring 2022
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, ‘Thriving Adoptees’ Podcast, UK, Jan 2022
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency (keynote), Adoption Knowledge Affiliates, Texas, Nov 2021
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, Nebraska Dept of Health and Human Services, Statewide Conference, Sept 2021
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, Children’s Bureau, Los Angeles, Sept 2021
  • When Attachment and Independence Collide: Parenting Children and Teens with Complex Trauma and Loss, Seneca/Kinship, June 2021
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency: A Guide to Promoting Understanding and Healing (keynote) Diakon Statewide Permanency Conference Pennsylvania, June 2021
  • When Attachment and Independence Collide: Parenting Children and Teens with Complex Trauma and Loss, Aspiranet, Ca May 2021
  • Attachment, Trauma & the Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, Lilliput/Wayfinder Family Services, Ca May 2021
  • Seven Core Issues in Kinship Families, MN Adopt, St. Paul Minnesota, April 2021
  • Attachment, Trauma & Child Development, Orange County Public Defenders, March 2021
  • Desperately Seeking Attachment: How Trauma & Neglect Disrupt Attachment, First Five Lake County Ca, Feb 2021
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption & Permanency, Massachusettes DCF, Jan 2021
  • What To Do with Challenging Behaviors: Parenting Children with Complex Trauma, Grossmont College & San Diego Youth Services Nov 2020
  • Ethics in Adoption/Permanency, Children’s Aid Society Permanency Conference Alabama, Sept 2020
  • Joy & Sorrow in the Same Cup: Adoption/Permanency, North American Council on Adoptable Children, Aug 2020
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, Adoption UK, United Kingdom, June 2020
  • Parenting Tips & Tools to Reduce Toxic Stress, Aspiranet, April 2020
  • The Power of Storytelling and the Making of Instant Family with Sean Anders, Children’s Home Society NC, April 2020
  • ACT: An Adoption and Permanency Curriculum for Child Welfare and Mental Health Professionals (48/hrs), San Diego Child Welfare Services Adoption/Permanency Division, Spring 2020
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, Celia Center Los Angeles, March 2020
  • ACT: An Adoption and Permanency Curriculum for Child Welfare and Mental Health Professionals (48/hrs), San Bernadino Child and Family Services, Spring 2020
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, Grossmont College & San Diego Youth Services, February 2020
  • Seven Core Issues Unique to Kinship Families, Family Support Services of North Florida, January 2020
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, C.A.S.E. KAN Conference, MarylandNovember 2019
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, Children’s Aid Society of Alabama, November 2019
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, ATTACh Conference, October 2019
  • Assessing & Facilitating Placement Changes Through the Attachment Lens: Reducing Toxic Stress for Children in Foster Care, National Association of Council for Children Conference, August 2019 
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency (keynote), North American Council on Adoptable Children, July 2019
  • The Art & Science of Attachment: Understanding How Trauma and Neglect Disrupt Attachment, Florida Coalition for Children Conference, July 2019
  • Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, National Foster Parent Association Conference, June 2019
  • Joy and Sorrow in the Same Cup: Seven Core Issues in Adoption and Permanency, Penny Lane, May 2019
  • Desperately Seeking Attachment: Understanding How Neglect & Trauma Disrupt Attachment, Adoption Conference Children’s Home Society South Dakota, April 2019
  • The Dance of Attachment (keynote)Permanency Conference Children’s Aid Society of Alabama, March 2019
  • ACT: An Adoption and Permanency Curriculum for Child Welfare and Mental Health Professionals San Diego Child Welfare Services 2019
  • Progressing from Child Placement to Family Success, Connecticut Council on Adoption, Nov 2018
  • Seven Core Issues in Adopton & Permanency, North American Council on Adoptable Children, August 2018
  • What To Do With All That Anger: Theirs and Ours!, North American Council on Adoptable Children, August 2018
  • Joy & Sorrow in the Same Cup: Supporting Constellation Members Through Grief & Loss Issues, Aspiranet, June 2018
  • Parenting Children with Complex Trauma & Neglect, C.A.S.E. Webinar, March 2018
  • Understanding How Complex Trauma and Neglect DIsrupt Attachment, LA County Dept. Mental Health, Feb 2018
  • Embedding Adoption & Permanency Clinical Competence Across Communities, North American Council on Adoptable Children, July 2017
  • Lying, Stealing & Manipulating: What To Do About Challenging Behaviors, North American Council on Adoptable Children, July 2017
  • Desperately Seeking Attachment: Understanding How Trauma & Neglect Disrupt Attachment, Penny Lane Training Academy, April 2017
  • Innovative Partnerships to Achieve Permanency Clinical Competence, Child Welfare League of America Conference 2017
  • 10 Things Your Child Needs Every Day! The Spirit of Family Through Adoption, Orange County Social Services Association 2016
  • Where Attaching and Independence Collide: Parenting Teens and Tweens with Complex Trauma & Loss, San Diego Youth Services 2016
  • Lying, Stealing & Manipulating: What To Do About Challenging Behaviors, North American Council on Adoptable Children Conference 2016
  • Attachment, Trauma & Permanency, Seneca Family of Agencies 2016
  • The Art and Science of Attachment, San Diego Youth Services 2016
  • ACT: An Adoption and Permanency Curriculum for Child Welfare and Mental Health Professionals (48/hrs) San Diego Child Welfare Services 2016
  • Core Issues for Kinship Caregivers, North American Council on Adoptable Children 2016
  • Making the Case for Post Adoption Support, Transitional Aged Youth: Where Attaching and Independence Collide, North American Council on Adoptable Children Conference 2015
  • Attachment, Trauma & Permanency, University Consortium for Children and Families 2015
  • 10 Things Kinship Caregivers Need, North American Council on Adoptable Children Conference 2015
  • Desperately Seeking Attachment: How Trauma & Neglect Disrupt Attachment, 2 pt webinar the Center for Adoption Support and Education 2015
  • Shifting the Mindset: A Strength-Based Approach to Adoption Competence and Relational Healing, American Adoption Congress Conference 2014
  • 10 Things Kinship Caregivers Need, North American Council on Adoptable Children Conference 2014
  • Learning a New Dance: the Dance of Permanence, Child Welfare League of America Conference 2013
  • If Not Now . . . When? A Model for Post-Permanency Support & Training, Child Welfare League of America Conference 2012
  • Becoming a Permanency Warrior, Orange County CASA Conference 2012
  • If Not Now . . . When? Building Your Adoption Competency, North American Council on Adoptable Children Conference 2012
  • Permanency: A Legal and Psychological Mandate for Youth in Foster Care, AdvoKids 2011
  • Desperately Seeking Attachment: How Trauma & Neglect Disrupt Attachment, Systems of Care Conference San Diego Children’s Mental Health 2011
  • Making the Case for Permanence, Lewis B. Smedes Conference, Los Angeles 2011
  • Shifting the Mindset: Mental Health Interventions for Permanency in Child Welfare, Georgetown National Systems of Care Conference 2010
  • ACT: An Adoption and Permanency Curriculum for Child Welfare and Mental Health Professionals (48/hrs)
  • Pathways to Permanence: Parenting Children Who Have Experienced Trauma and Loss (21/hrs)

 

Get In Touch

To connect to Allison, call 949.939.9016 or email her at allisonmaxon@cox.net

Pin It on Pinterest