Healing Childhood Trauma exploring DDP through illustrations & stories

Trainer
Kim Golding CBE, Clinical Psychologist living in Worcestershire, UK. Kim worked with children and families within the NHS for thirty years, specialising in working with parents or carers to develop their parenting skills tailored to the needs of the children they are caring for. Kim now works independently providing therapy, training, consultation and supervision.

Kim is a certified DDP trainer and is involved in accrediting and training other professionals in DDP. She is also a director of the Community Interest Company: ‘DDP Connects UK’. Kim is author of a range of books focused on the parenting of children who have experienced developmental trauma, including ‘Nurturing Attachments’ and ‘Everyday parenting with security and love’. She has additionally developed two DDP-informed programmes. ‘The Nurturing Attachments Training Resource’; and ‘Foundations for Attachment Training Resource’. Kim co-authored: ‘Healing Relational Trauma with Attachment-Focused Interventions’ with Dan Hughes and Julie Hudson, published December 2018 and ‘The Healing Relational Trauma Workbook with Dan Hughes published February 2024.

In 2020 Kim was awarded a CBE for services to children and young people.

Description of course
This seminar and book launch offers you an opportunity to explore Kim’s latest book: ‘The DDP guide to healing childhood trauma. A visual and creative companion for parents and practitioners’ with illustrations by Juliet Young. This will be published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers in January 2026

This book is light on text and full of stories and illustrations to increase understanding of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy, Parenting and Practice. It is written in short sections for you to dip in and out of as needed. This book will be helpful for parents, carers, students and practitioners supporting children who’ve experienced relational trauma.

Children living away from their birth family following developmentally traumatizing experience struggle to feel safe within social connections, especially with parents. Within this seminar Kim will draw on the book to explore the importance of social connection. She will discuss DDP (Dyadic Developmental Practice and Parenting) as a useful model for helping children to feel safe and open to the influences of parents. The challenges of parenting in this way will be considered alongside the importance of ongoing support for the parents. Throughout Kim will read some of the stories she has created especially for this book.

And as a special bonus:

Kim will also read extracts from ‘A TINY SPARK OF HOPE. Healing Childhood Trauma in Adulthood’ Kim S. Golding and Alexia Jones

‘I could not ignore the tiny spark of hope that whispered to me that there might be someone with whom I could be vulnerable and real, and that this time they might just not let me down...’

I knew Alexia as a child, growing up in foster care following early childhood trauma. She was not able to engage in DDP therapy, her mistrust in adults was high and her defences were strong. We met a few times, and she knew that I was supporting her foster placement.

We plant many seeds when supporting children and their families, and we don’t always know which one’s will flourish. As an adult Alexia, tired of her defences and wanting to discover her authentic self, sought me out. This began a three-year therapy journey, culminating in writing ‘A tiny spark of hope’ together

If you want to learn more about a child’s experience of foster care and the building of multiple defences to survive the trauma and loss that has been experienced this book is for you.

If you want to explore the way that a relational therapy informed by the DDP principles can help an adult to understand and move away from defences laid down from early in life this book is for you.

If you want to understand the authentic self and how to rediscover it when it has been masked by fragmented parts holding a range of defences this book is for you.

Objectives and outcomes from the course
The learning objectives of the Seminar are:

• Explore the importance of social connection.
• Consider the challenges of parenting the DDP way and importance for ongoing support.
• Discuss DDP (Dyadic Developmental Practice and Parenting) as a useful model for helping children to feel safe and open to the influences of parents.
• Theoretical and practical considerations
• Opportunity for you to purchase a discounted SIGNED copy of the book ‘The DDP guide to healing childhood trauma. A visual and creative companion for parents and practitioners’

Who should attend
This day is open to anyone wishing to attend who is working with children and young people.

Pre-requisite
No pre requisites are required for this course.

Additional Info
With full attendance you will be issued a certificate of attendance.

Fee of £100 includes VAT, registration, buffet lunch and refreshments throughout