What Graduate Counseling Students Need to Know
THE HEART OF THIS TALK
Divorce and family disruption can create profound psychological and emotional wounds in children.
Graduate counseling students need more than theory — they need a grounded, trauma-
informed understanding of why these experiences affect children the way they do and how to intervene effectively.
This keynote gives future clinicians a clear, compassionate roadmap for supporting children navigating major family transitions.
ABOUT DOTTIE KELLY
Dottie is a licensed professional counselor with over two decades of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, active-duty military, veterans, first responders, and families experiencing trauma, loss, and major change.
Her work integrates:
- EMDR
- Accelerated Resolution Therapy
- Brainspotting
- Internal Family Systems
- Sandtray therapy
- Play therapy
- Expressive arts
- Energy psychology
- Mind-body approaches
She is a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional and a Certified Grief Counseling Specialist with deep expertise in trauma systems, PTSD, and child development.
WHAT THIS TALK COVERS
1. The Psychological Impact of Divorce on Children
- Common emotional and behavioral responses
- How attachment disruptions affect regulation
- The intersection between grief, fear, loyalty binds, and identity formation
- What students often miss when assessing children in transition
2. How Trauma Shows Up in Children Experiencing Family Change
- Why trauma isn’t limited to violence
- How chronic stress, loss, and instability shape the developing brain
- Neurobiological underpinnings of emotional dysregulation
- The role of internalized beliefs during divorce
3. Evidence-Based Modalities That Work
Students get an orientation to modalities highlighted in Dottie’s book and practice:
- EMDR for reprocessing and reducing emotional charge
- ART for rapid image-based resolution
- Brainspotting for deep neurobiological release
- Sandtray + play therapy for nonverbal processing
- IFS for helping kids understand their internal emotional parts
4. Why These Modalities Are Especially Effective for Kids Going Through Divorce
- How the brain stores relational pain
- Why story-based and imagery-based processing helps children externalize emotion
- How these approaches restore safety and strengthen resilience
- Practical guidance for using developmentally aligned interventions
ATTENDEE LEARNING OUTCOMES
Graduate students will leave with a clear understanding of:
- The emotional, neurological, and developmental impact of divorce
- How trauma shows up differently in children adults
- Why integrated trauma modalities support long-term healing
- How to create safety, connection, and trust with children experiencing family change
- Practical tools to use during practicums, internships, and future clinical work
WHO THIS KEYNOTE IS FOR
This keynote is ideal for:
- Counseling psychology programs
- Marriage and family therapy tracks
- Social work programs
- Child and family therapy courses
- Professors seeking a trauma-informed guest lecturer
- Students preparing for clinical practice with children and families
BOOK THIS KEYNOTE
Bring Dottie into your classroom as a guest lecturer or special seminar presenter.
She equips future clinicians with the skills, frameworks, and clinical insight they need to support children navigating one of the most common — and most misunderstood — childhood traumas.
