The Needs Paradox® has been developed by Karen O’Neill and Tara McDonald (2024) and describes the psychobiological conflict experienced by children affected by relational trauma when they are offered care, attunement and co-regulation.
Recognising this internal conflict enables clinicians to respond with approaches that honour both the protective function of these adaptations and the child’s need for safety and regulation, through both cognitive processing and embodied responses to trauma. The Needs Paradox® offers a compassionate, clinically grounded framework to understand these dynamics and to support therapists and caregivers in gently restoring connection, co-regulation and relational safety.
This three-day training introduces therapists to The Needs Paradox® and its clinical application through a structured, relational, and trauma-informed approach to working with children and young people who experience therapeutic relationships as unsafe or threatening.
Participants will explore how early relational trauma shapes the nervous system, attachment development, identity and self-concept, and how this can create a deep internal paradox: a simultaneous longing for connection alongside fear of it.
The training places a strong emphasis on the vital role of parents and caregivers in supporting recovery from relational trauma. The Needs Paradox® recognises that relational trauma arises within caregiving relationships, and as such, recovery must also be relationship-based. Therapists will develop skills to actively involve caregivers as key partners, supporting them to provide the Conditions for the Development of Self: Predictability, Safety, Mentalisation, Empathy, Curiosity and Trust.
Through theory, reflection, case application and experiential practice, participants will develop the knowledge and skills to work safely and with attunement to defensive survival strategies while strengthening co-regulation within the caregiver–child relationship.
The programme is delivered in three parts: pre-course videos to be watched before the live training, three days of live online training, and two follow-up group consultations to support you in integrating your learning into practice.
Group Consultation
These consultation groups (maximum of 6 participants) give ongoing support and guidance to people who have completed the three-day training in The Needs Paradox®. Each 1.5-hour session runs live on Zoom with a Consultant. This will be a time to integrate what you have learnt on the programme and deepen your understanding.
Groups are led by Certified Play Therapists and Supervisors who have completed the training themselves and know The Needs Paradox® well. They bring a wealth of knowledge and experience and will be a valuable support to you.
The group meets twice, from 7.00pm to 8.30pm. Dates will be confirmed one month before the training starts. You will be allocated a consultant and attending both sessions is a requirement of the course.
(Please note that the focus is on The Needs Paradox® and consultations are not intended as supervision for your wider caseload).
Friday 14th – Sunday 16th May 2027,
9.00 am – 5.00 pm
Participants are required to watch the pre-course videos, attend all three days of live training and both group consultations, and complete a final online assessment.
21 hours awarded to participants who complete the full live online training
Total Fee: £499
Please ensure you read and understand our booking policy before making a booking or setting up an instalment plan, as it is your responsibility to be aware of the terms and conditions.
