Using Polyvagal Theory to Help Children and Young People Overcome Panic and Anxiety

About the event

In this presentation, Karen Stallard will share creative ways in which practitioners can use Polyvagal theory to help children and young people regulate and reflect. Polyvagal Theory was developed by Dr Stephen Porges (2011) to help us understand the body's response to stress and danger.

Previous knowledge of Polyvagal theory is not needed for this presentation, a brief overview will be given and some time will be spent sharing practical exercises, suitable for all ages which can be used with groups and individuals.

Presenter: Karen Stallard

Karen Stallard is a registered Psychotherapist with UKCP and has a private practice called Feeling Found. Karen initially trained as an actor with a passion for the performing arts, story telling and communicating creatively. She worked in Theatre in Education and then trained to be a member of the clergy of the Christian church, where she worked in pastoral care particularly within the mental health sector. Karen wrote and ran a series of holiday clubs for under 11’s and ran drama workshops in her local Pupil Referral Unit. Karen has also worked as an honorary therapist in Oxley’s NHS Trust for over four years and as a Spiritual and Cultural Care Coordinator at the East London and City Mental Health Trust for seven years.

Karen founded The Geoff Ashcroft Community in Tower Hamlets to support adults suffering from mental health issues in the community, and has been a board member of various charities including Crossroads Counselling Service, Margins Homelessness Project and Union Chapel Project. Karen is also on the steering group for a bi-annual conference called ‘Continuing the Journey’, which provides CPD to therapists and spiritual leaders. More recently she has taught Art therapy at Goldsmiths University, is director for the Certificate in Child Counselling Skills at The Institute for Arts in therapy and Education and is a trainer and supervisor for Trauma Informed Schools UK.