Learning from the Biographical Timeline: Deepening Our Capacity to Engage with Children and Adults We Find Challenging to Support
with Beth I. Barol, Ph.D., L.S.W., B.C.B., NADD-CC
Too often, when faced with challenging behaviors, our instinct is to manage, correct, or control. But what if the key to effective support isn’t in changing behavior — it’s in understanding the story behind it?
In this powerful and deeply human presentation, Dr. Beth I. Barol invites participants to shift from behavior control to compassionate connection. With decades of clinical and educational experience in the fields of trauma, developmental disabilities, and mental health, Dr. Barol introduces the Biographical Timeline — a framework that helps professionals uncover the life experiences, unmet needs, and emotional wounds that shape behavior.
Through case studies and real-world examples, Dr. Barol demonstrates how this approach transforms how we engage with people — children or adults — who have been labeled “difficult,” “noncompliant,” or “challenging.” Participants will learn to:
- Recognize the complex biopsychosocial roots of behaviors
- Reframe reactions from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”
- Identify patterns of trauma, attachment, and unmet needs within a biographical timeline
- Use empathy, safety, and relationship as the foundation for effective intervention
The result is a practice that honors the whole person, restores dignity, and opens pathways for genuine healing and connection.
🌿 Part of the NRBS 2025 Annual Conference
This presentation is part of the Northeast Region Biofeedback Society (NRBS) 2025 Annual Conference, a three-day gathering in New York City bringing together leaders in trauma, neuroscience, and integrative care.
Other featured sessions include:
- Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, author of The Body Keeps the Score, on trauma, resilience, and healing
- Dr. Thomas Campbell, co-author of The China Study, on plant-based nutrition and whole-person health
- Dr. Stoyan Vezenkov, on the neurobiology of early screen addiction, autism, and ADHD
- Additional presentations on neuroinflammation, emotional dysregulation, and nature-based healing
Together, these sessions explore the intersection of mind, body, and environment — redefining what it means to heal and to help.
💚 A Conference Open to All
While the NRBS Annual Conference primarily serves clinicians, therapists, and educators, a limited number of seats are being made available to the public through Eventbrite. This initiative expands access to trauma-informed education and fosters community awareness of compassionate, evidence-based approaches to mental health and behavior.
🌎 Join Us
Whether you’re a professional seeking new tools or a caregiver wanting deeper understanding, Dr. Beth Barol’s presentation offers a transformative way to see — and support — those who challenge us the most.
Join us for a weekend of science, empathy, and connection at the NRBS 2025 Annual Conference in New York City.
👉 View the full agenda here.
