Trauma

trauma aware, thriving spaces

26th & 27th September 25

@ Emmanuel Church Plymouth

Two events for connection, learning, and transformation. Bringing together professionals, advocates, and community members committed to creating safe, supportive, and healing centered spaces.

Together, we’re building a future where trauma-informed practices are the foundation of care, education, and community.

Book for one or both days

DAY 1:

Friday 26th September - 9am-4:30pm

Building a Trauma Sensitive Organisation

How accessible is your organisation to those with a background of trauma?
Are you interested in providing a high quality experience for people you support in your organisation?
Is your organisation supportive to those who have experienced trauma?
Do you or your organisation want to know more about being sensitive to people living with trauma?

Spend a day with experts and those sharing they own lived experiences, to build on your knowledge of trauma and explore with others how you or your organisation can respond in compassionate ways to people you support. Everyone is welcome to attend whatever your role. It is useful to have a basic understanding of trauma before attendance.

Tickets

Tickets: £25 per person, includes lunch.

Funding: We want the day to be open to all so please contact us if you need support with funding your place

Day 1 agenda

9:30am – 11am

The impact of trauma

11am – 11:30am

Break

11:30am – 12:30pm

Becoming trauma informed relationally

12:30pm – 1pm

Impact of trauma and nutrition

1pm – 2pm

Free Lunch – Trauma sensitive catering

2pm- 3pm

A Trauma sensitive environment

3pm- 4:30pm

Embedding trauma informed principles throughout practice

Speaker:

CEO & Founder - Join the Dots

Ruth Stephens

Ruth is a registered Occupational Therapist who has spent over a decade of her career specialising in working with adopted and fostered families. She has worked therapeutically in a dynamic, multidisciplinary, specialist trauma therapy clinic and in SEMH schools. Ruth is passionate about helping people understand the neuroscience behind trauma and to have the tools with which to understand and support those who have relational trauma.

Over four years ago, she formed Join the Dots CIO which emerged from a growing awareness that church needs to be more accessible to those who have had complicated backgrounds. It serves particularly to equip those whose ministry involves supporting people who have experienced adversity, by providing training, resources, and consultation. She has been involved in church leadership for many years, is an adoptive parent, holds an MSc in Attachment studies, and level three in counselling.

Speaker:

Associate Trainer - Join the Dots

Tracy Bennett

Tracy is a qualified, Independent Social Worker, with 25 years’ experience of supporting children and families impacted by adversity and trauma. She is passionate about empowering children, individuals, and families to thrive.

Over the last four years, Tracy has specialised in working with community organisations providing training in trauma informed practice and running empowerment courses and workshops for individuals and families aimed at breaking cycles of generational trauma and building individual and community resilience. Utilising the extensive research findings from the fields of Attachment and Neuroscience, Tracy’s practice is non-hierarchical, strength based, underpinned by sound theoretical models which have practical applications.

Speaker:

Associate Professor in Public Health Dietetics

Dr Clare Pettinger

Dr. Clare Pettinger is an award-winning Registered Dietitian, Public Health Nutritionist, and educator, widely recognised for her community-engaged research on food systems, poverty, and social justice. She is passionate about using creative and inclusive approaches to address health inequalities and promote sustainability.

Since 2021, Clare has led the Plymouth component of a £6 million UKRI-funded national project focused on co-producing healthy, sustainable food systems for disadvantaged communities. In this role, she manages local research activities, trains community food researchers, and contributes to national strategy and collaboration. Her work includes a fresh produce voucher intervention known as FoodSEqual-Health and the Synergy Project, which explores how co-production is defined and implemented across the UK food system transformation programme.

Previously, she led the British Academy-funded Food as a Lifestyle Motivator project, which used creative engagement methods to support marginalised communities through food. She also contributed to public health initiatives such as Thrive Plymouth and Cities of Service’s Grow, Share, Cook project. Her work was featured in the documentary Food on the Margins in Plymouth.

Saturday 27th September - 10am-1pm

DAY 2

How to Avoid Burnout in Ministry

In today’s fast-paced and often demanding environments, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed — but with the right tools and understanding, you can foster a sense of balance and strength.

How do you support people who have experienced trauma?
Do you find it overwhelming at times and struggle to manage?

You're warmly invited to a special morning session with experienced professionals who will guide you through practical strategies for building personal resilience and managing stress. This session is open to everyone, regardless of your role or background. Whether you're supporting others or navigating your own challenges, you'll find valuable takeaways to help you thrive.

To make the most of the discussion, we recommend having a basic understanding of trauma and its effects. This foundational knowledge will help you engage more deeply with the content and apply the insights to your own context.

Tickets

Tickets: £10 per person, includes break refreshments.

Funding: We want the day to be open to all so please contact us if you need support with funding your place

Day 2 agenda

10am – 11am

Vicarious trauma:

Working from rest not for rest.

What gets in the way?

11am – 11:30am

Break

11:30am – 1pm

Learning to play, co-regulate