Keynote One - Richard Moore

Freedom in Forgiveness

A story that started as a tragedy and ended as a triumph of the human spirit in overcoming adversity. A unique perspective on trauma, resilience, reconciliation and forgiveness, Richard's story looks at the purpose of forgiveness and how sometimes people get justice, but they are no happier at the end of it.

Keynote Two - Dr Felicity De Zulueta

Born to love, driven to destroy: The current human tragedy

Author of a book on the traumatic origins of violence due to damage to our attachment system, Dr Felicity de Zulueta will focus on making sense of our current inability to cooperate within countries and across countries to deal with the challenge we face due to the climate and environmental crises linked with its associated Covid pandemic.

She will show how cultures born of violence are intrinsic to our current civilisation and how they also lead to high numbers of individuals developing insecure attachments due to adverse childhood experiences and a resulting propensity for competitive and destructive behaviour.

Just as we need a different way of living to save our environment, so do our brains need a safer and more loving early environment if we are to survive. She will show us that we now have the knowledge to do this and how we can set about doing it, as is already happening in some parts of the world.

Workshop Two

Introduction to Verbal First Aid™

"Verbal First Aid" uses words and images to set a course for recovery and resilience. Judith Simon Prager, PhD, has been teaching the protocol of Verbal First Aid from 2001 - What to say in medical emergencies to calm, relieve pain, promote healing and save lives. The protocol is taught to firefighters, emergency medical personnel, doctors, nurses, and police officers around the world. This workshop will explain how the right words said in the right way at the scene of an emergency or crisis, or in times of pain and fear, could shift the perception and interpretation to one that allows healing and short-circuits the impulse toward a traumatic memory.

Workshop Four

An invitation to ‘Try This’

‘Try This’ is a ten week programme designed to impact the escalating crisis in the mental health of young people. Designed for delivery in classrooms, the programme delivers measured outcomes in the social and emotional health of young people, improved cognitive and academic performance and improved relationships. The approach is practical, playful and innovative, based on the latest research in behaviour change, self-regulation and trauma recovery.

Created by Kerry McWilliams with qualitative research, underpinning evidence and logic, the model was developed in collaboration with Aideen Gildea from Queens University Centre for Evidence and Social Innovation.

After two and a half years of research, focus groups, testing, evaluation and trials, adjusting in response to feedback from almost 3000 young people, and hundreds of teachers and parents, we’re ready to tell you the story and present the programme.

To quote some year 12 (15/16-year-old) students… “I didn’t think this would work, but it totally does - I use it every day“, “It’s a game changer.” and even “makes me melt inside and gives me goosebumps”