Training Topics for Professionals

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Healing Hearts: Trauma-Informed Practices

The Healing Hearts Series of workshops provides an overview of the impact of trauma and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on the developing child. Teachers, administrators and staff who work with children will learn how trauma/toxic stress impacts a child’s brain, body and development; thus affecting a child’s behavior. Participants will learn healthy, nurturing strategies to “repack the backpack” and promote a calm, learning environment, as well as receive resources to continue their learning after the training.

We offer several workshops from the Healing Hearts Series, including:

  • Trauma 101
  • Trauma-Informed Care
  • Trauma & Resilience
  • Trauma and the
  • Importance of Self-Care
  • Parent Workshop
  • Advanced Strategies Part 1
  • Advanced Strategies Part 2
  • Advanced Strategies Part 3


*NEW* We now offer Trauma 101, Trauma-Informed Care, and Trauma & Resilience as CEU courses!

Learn more about the Healing Hearts workshops!

healing hearts

Nurtured Heart Approach

The Nurtured Heart Approach® (NHA) is a curriculum for building relationships. Participants will learn how to relate to children in ways that guide them to use their intensity successfully and positively. Originally developed for working with the most challenging children, the NHA works to awaken the greatness inherent in all children. Participants will learn how to become highly effective agent of change in the lives of children by creating emotionally rich time “in” the child, de-energizing negative behaviors, and providing strict limits and rules.

Trauma-Informed SEL 101

This training will help participants understand the meaning and benefits of SEL. The training will provide an overview of the NJ SEL competencies. Although SEL is important for all children, this training will emphasize the crucial need for SEL for children that have experienced high stress and trauma. Participants will take away some strategies to build competencies in the classroom community.

Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention

This training will inform participants about the four types of abuse and the physical and behavioral signs and symptoms of each. Participants will learn what factors may lead a person to abuse a child. Participants will discuss the laws that surround reporting child abuse and neglect and what information to obtain before making a report of suspected child abuse and neglect. Participants will also learn the importance of the prevention of child abuse and neglect as well as the short and long-term effects of abuse on children and society.

Child Exposure to Intimate Partner Violence

Participants will learn about the five types of abuse, power and control, and the cycle of violence. All of the different forms of child exposure to intimate partner violence (IPV) are discussed, and the impact of this exposure on children emotionally, cognitively, behaviorally, and developmentally is covered. Participants will also learn how to work with children exposed to IPV and the non-offending parent. This training includes practical engagement strategies, reporting processes, and identification of resources and services.

Exposing Exploitation - A Presentation for Youth, Ages 14-21

This interactive presentation will educate youth about the realities of commercial sexual exploitation in NJ. Participants will learn hot to recognize risk factors, how to seek help, and how to take action to end child sex trafficking.

Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking 101: Overview & Prevention

At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to define DMST and the conditions that support it, identify signs and red flags of potential victims, and how to report and implement prevention strategies to protect youth from trafficking.

*NEW* We now offer Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking 101 as a CEU course!

From Survivor to Thriver: Working with Victims of Sexual Exploitation

From Survivor to Thriver: Working with Victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSEC) teaches helping professionals to support victims of CSEC through their recovery process. The training reviews trauma and trauma informed principles and provides skill-building techniques of Motivational Interviewing. It covers the impact of trauma, responding to victims, the stages of change, additional resources, and vicarious trauma of family members and professionals.

Protective Factors

Participants will learn about the 5 protective factors—Parental Resilience, Social Connections, Concrete Support in Times of Need, Knowledge of Parenting and Development, and Social Emotional Competence of Children— and how to strengthen families to reduce the risk of child abuse and neglect.

Positive Discipline

This workshop will encourage parents and professionals to explore the meanings behind behaviors. Attendees with learn about temperament, examine challenging behaviors, consider responses to behaviors, and understand the difference between discipline and punishment.

Safety, Confidentiality and Boundaries

Provides information, reminders and tools for personal safety in the office and in the field, plus definitions/overview/importance of confidentiality and boundary setting when working with families. Interactive training includes lecture, small and large group discussion, case studies, and review of workplace policies when available.

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Victoria Spera

Victoria Spera-Ballesteros has over 10 years of experience in violence prevention and awareness, social justice education, community development, and public policy. She joined Prevent Child Abuse – New Jersey in 2017 and serves as a Program Coordinator within the PCA-NJ’s Community Engagement department. In her role, she engages with youth-serving professionals and community organizations with education, trainings, and technical assistance related to human trafficking prevention and youth resilience programming. She enjoys using her expertise to help partners build their capacity to serve and empower the youth and families of New Jersey.

Victoria is an experienced trainer on topics including domestic minor sex trafficking, prevention strategies, Adverse Childhood Experiences, child abuse and neglect, trauma-informed communities, youth empowerment, and community wellness and resiliency. She has been a proud member of the ChildWIN Training Team since its creation in 2019.

Victoria holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and a Master of International Development from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.

Michael Peralta

Michael works at Prevent Child Abuse NJ as a Technical Assistance Specialist for Grow NJ Kids, our state’s initiative to raise the quality of child care and early learning throughout New Jersey. Before joining PCA-NJ, Michael was the School Age Services Unit Manager at La Casa de Don Pedro responsible for the implementation of La Casa’s Enrichment Program and 21st Century Community Learning Center, serving children between the ages of 5 to 12 years old. Prior to working at La Casa de Don Pedro, he worked at the National Institute for Early Education Research as an Assistant Project Coordinator. At NIEER, he assisted with the coordination of data collection and training for various research/evaluation projects that included preschool, infant/toddler and family child care programs throughout the country and abroad (Colombia and Ecuador). Prior to working at NIEER, Michael volunteered at a Head Start Center in New Brunswick and at Rutgers Developmental Disability Center in which he worked with children with Autism. Michael is passionate about children’s rights and being the voice that they do not have. His goal in life is to help ensure children have opportunities for a great childhood.

Elizabeth Paterno-Culp

Elizabeth Paterno-Culp joined the Prevent Child Abuse-NJ team in 2015 as a Home Visitation Program Specialist. She provides ongoing technical assistance to several Healthy Families and Parents As Teachers programs across the state of New Jersey. Along with her day-to-day role at PCA-NJ, Elizabeth is a Child Wellness Institute (ChildWIN) team member. She serves as the Trauma Transformation Initiative trainer and liaison. She also conducts training on topic areas such as child abuse and neglect prevention, intimate partner violence and child exposure, trauma 101, trauma informed-care, self-care, and resilience.

Prior to her work at PCA-NJ, Elizabeth worked at Wynona’s House Child Advocacy Center as a Program Specialist. She worked closely with the Family Advocate to support the children and families. In addition, she continued to volunteer as a Sexual Assault Response Team advocate and a Domestic Violence Response Team advocate.

Elizabeth graduated from Montclair State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Family and Child Studies with a concentration in Family Studies and a sociology certificate. She is currently at Kean University, where she is working on getting a Master’s Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. Elizabeth is currently completing her internship with the Newark Beth Israel Metro Regional Diagnostic and Treatment Center. She works with children who have experienced abuse and neglect and have been exposed to intimate partner violence.

Vasu Nacha

Vasu Nacha has been working in the field of child and family wellness for more than 10 years. She has a Masters in Psychology, and certifications as a Trauma Professional, Cultural Competence Trainer and Reflective Consultation provider. In addition to taking a leadership role in the development and delivery of the Trauma Transformation Initiative, she has conceptualized and led the development of the C.A.R.E model of peer reflection. Aside from her regular day time job, Vasu works as the director of the SCOPE program with SKN Foundation, where she leads the delivery of programming for South Asian families of children with special needs.

Kelly McGlasson

I have been working in the field of early childhood education for over 25 years- as a developmental specialist in Early Intervention, a behavioral therapist, and a classroom teacher. As a preschool and elementary school Program Specialist, I trained teachers on classroom management, sensory integration techniques, and strategies for promoting social-emotional development. I also taught a Child Development course to upcoming teachers. Most recently, I have delivered aspects of the Healing Hearts and Building Resilience (Trauma Series) to teachers and the Peaceful Practices to both parents and children. I also continue to coach preschool teachers on various aspects of quality improvement, including meaningful interactions and developmentally appropriate social-emotional skills. I hold a Master of Science in Early Childhood from Erikson Institute as well as a Level III Infant Mental Health Specialist Endorsement and a certification in Reflective Supervision and Consultation from the New Jersey Association for Infant Mental Health.

Gina Hernandez

Gina Hernandez, MA, LPC was appointed by the Board to the position of Executive Director of Prevent Child Abuse-New Jersey and the Child Wellness Institute in April 2021. Gina has extensive experience in nonprofit leadership, clinical services and program evaluation.

Gina joined the staff of PCA-NJ in 2005 and worked in a variety of roles throughout the agency. As Senior Vice President for 7 years, she was responsible for development, oversight and evaluation of all prevention programs, now serving more than 60,000 families. She has been published for her research as a co-principal investigator in several publications including the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior and Prevention Science for her work on addressing maternal depression and substance use disorders. In 2018, Gina was recognized as “A Woman of Achievement” by the New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs for her dedication, commitment and extraordinary work on behalf of children and families in New Jersey.

Also under Gina’s leadership, the Child Wellness Institute (ChildWIN) was created in 2019 to assist and support even more children and families. It was designed to offer healing centered and resilience building skills to professionals, children and families in New Jersey and beyond. To date, ChildWIN has partnered with more than 30 schools statewide and is working to expand its services.

Prior to PCA-NJ, Gina worked at the Edison Job Corps Academy and Alternatives, Inc in Somerset County and continues to volunteer at several nonprofits throughout the state. She started her career in television and radio broadcasting at WMGM-TV in South Jersey.

Gina has a BA in Communications, an MA in Counseling and is a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is also a Certified Infant Massage Instructor, holds a Certificate in Play Therapy and earned a Post Masters Certificate in Trauma: Clinical Foundations. She is a co-developer of the Trauma Transformation Initiative and co-author of the Healing Hearts and Building Resilience curriculum.

Robin Happonen

Robin Happonen has been in the Early Childhood field for 20 years. She joined PCA-NJ in 2017 and is currently the Senior Technical Assistance Specialist with the Grow NJ Kids Northeast TA Center working in Hudson County. She is also a member of ChildWIN and assisted with the development of both the Trauma Team Initiative and the Peaceful Practices Guidebook. Prior to joining Grow NJ Kids, Robin worked as an elementary school teacher and preschool teacher. She has a BA in Elementary Education and a MA in Child Advocacy.

Kim Haigh

Kimberly Haigh has been serving the Early Care and Education field for over 25 years. Her work for various organizations and agencies include the Department of Defense, Bright Horizons Family Solutions and Duke University where she has developed and presented trainings for early childhood educators. Kim joined PCA-NJ and ChildWIN in 2015 and has since delivered Trauma Informed trainings to Early Childhood staff, elementary teachers, after school staff, and administrators, while also developing a training is Social Emotional Learning (SEL) for educators. Kim earned her BA in Education and Psychology and her MA in Child and Family Studies; she has also completed a 20-month intensive fellowship for Infant and Toddler Mental Health at Montclair State University.