Become certified in NVR for Brain-based Disabilities!

The Applied Training Program on Nonviolent Resistance for Brain-Based Disabilities is a four-day hybrid training designed for allied mental health professionals working with children, youth, and families experiencing complex developmental and behavioural challenges.

This program provides an adapted model of Nonviolent Resistance (NVR) that explicitly integrates neurodevelopmental science, trauma-informed care, and systemic practice. It is designed for clinical contexts in which standard behavioural or parenting approaches are insufficient or ineffective.

Become certified in NVR for Brain-based Disabilities!

The Applied Training Program on Nonviolent Resistance for Brain-Based Disabilities is a four-day hybrid training designed for allied mental health professionals working with children, youth, and families experiencing complex developmental and behavioural challenges.

This program provides an adapted model of Nonviolent Resistance (NVR) that explicitly integrates neurodevelopmental science, trauma-informed care, and systemic practice. It is designed for clinical contexts in which standard behavioural or parenting approaches are insufficient or ineffective.

Module 1 – Foundations of Nonviolent Resistance

Introduce the theoretical foundations, philosophy, and clinical rationale of Nonviolent Resistance (NVR).

Content

  • Origins and evolution of Nonviolent Resistance
  • Core principles: non-escalation, presence, refusal of coercion
  • Understanding power struggles and escalation cycles
  • NVR as a systemic and relational intervention

 Learning Outcomes

  • Explain the core principles of Nonviolent Resistance
  • Describe why control-based approaches often escalate conflict
  • Identify the role of caregiver presence in reducing escalation

Module 2 – Core NVR Tools and Clinical Strategies

Provide practical tools that clinicians can use to support families implementing NVR.

Content

  • The Announcement: purpose, structure, and clinical considerations
  • Sit-ins and vigilant presence
  • Building and maintaining supporter networks
  • Reconciliation gestures and relationship repair

Learning Outcomes

  • Apply key NVR tools in counselling and group settings
  • Coach caregivers through early implementation challenges
  • Recognize common pitfalls in NVR application

Module 3 – Neurodevelopmental and Disability-Informed Adaptations

Adapt NVR for brain-based disabilities and neurodevelopmental differences.

 Content

  • Understanding brain-based disabilities and behavioural expression
  • Adapting communication, expectations, and pacing
  • Co-regulation versus compliance-focused approaches
  • Ethical considerations in disability-adapted practice

Learning Outcomes

  • Differentiate behavioural non-compliance from neurodevelopmental challenges
  • Adapt NVR strategies to cognitive and regulatory capacities
  • Apply ethically sound disability-informed interventions

Module 4 – Trauma- and Attachment-Informed NVR Practice

Integrate trauma-informed and attachment-informed principles into NVR interventions.

Content

  • Impact of trauma on regulation, behaviour, and relationships
  • Attachment patterns and escalation dynamics
  • Safety, predictability, and relational repair
  • Integrating trauma and attachment frameworks into NVR planning

Learning Outcomes

  • Formulate cases using trauma- and attachment-informed lenses
  • Adjust NVR interventions to support relational safety
  • Recognize signs of overwhelm and retraumatization

Module 5 – AFCCA: Aggression Toward Family and Caregivers

Address AFCCA and apply NVR to families experiencing aggression toward caregivers.

Content

  • Understanding AFCCA patterns and impacts on families
  • Intersection of AFCCA, trauma, and brain-based disabilities
  • NVR strategies for high-risk and entrenched aggression
  • Protecting caregiver safety and well-being

Learning Outcomes

  • Identify key features of AFCCA presentations
  • Formulate NVR interventions specific to AFCCA cases
  • Support caregivers in reclaiming safety and well-being

Live Training Sessions

Three consecutive mornings of live training, three hours each.
Delivered by Dr. Maude Champagne.

Live Day 1 – Applied NVR Foundations

  • Review and integration of asynchronous modules
  • Demonstration and practice of core NVR tools
  • Small-group clinical discussions

Live Day 2 – Neurodevelopment, Trauma, and Attachment

  • Complex case formulation
  • Adapting NVR for neurodevelopmental and trauma-related needs
  • Group consultation and reflective practice

Live Day 3 – AFCCA and Sustaining Change

  • In-depth AFCCA case studies
  • Supporting caregiver well-being and endurance
  • Long-term planning and implementation strategies

Six-Month Follow-Up Consultation

Participants will attend a group consultation session approximately six months after the live training. This session focuses on integrating learning into practice, addressing implementation challenges, and refining NVR interventions based on real-world experience.

Maude Champagne, RSW, MSW, PhD

This course is given by Maude Champagne, a clinician, researcher, and trainer with extensive experience supporting families affected by brain-based disabilities, trauma, and high-risk or aggressive behaviours. Her work integrates neuroscience, clinical practice, and lived experience, with a strong emphasis on applied and ethical intervention.

Still have questions? Contact me