Shut Down, Avoidant, and in La-La Land: Helping Kids who are Hard to Reach
Sponsoring Organization: Children’s Aid Society of Alabama
Date: November 20th, 2025
Time: 9am – 4:30pm CT
Location: In-Person
Description: Children who are shut-down may seem easier to parent than children who are explosive, but the truth is, they are hardest to reach. These kids often require more patience, more connection, and more felt safety than kids who are acting out. This workshop decodes these frustrating and elusive behaviors by exploring the neurobiology of behavior and the impact of trauma and toxic stress.
Some shutdown kids are watchdogs, acting like volcanos (keeping it all inside).Some shutdown kids are possums. This training will help you distinguish between the two, as they often benefit from different interventions.
Attendees will leave with a tool-box full of practical strategies you’ll be able to implement immediately that will increase your confidence working with these hardest to reach kids.
Objectives:
- Attendees will be able to apply the neurobiology of behavior to behaviors such as shut down, checked out, avoidant, and la-la land
- Attendees will be able to identify the different levels of shut down based on observable behavior
- Attendees will use sensory based strategies to increase safety, connection, and regulation in shut-down children
Registration Information: This is a private training for the Children’s Aid Society of Alabama. If you are interested in scheduling a similar training for your organization, contact Robyn’s team at hello@robyngobbel.com
