In this course, we talk with the late Dr. Karyn Purvis, author of The Connected Child: Bring Hope and Healing to Your Adoptive Family, and the founder and Director of the TCU Institute of Child Development, about how to help children from hard places heal.

*This course was recorded with the late great Dr. Karyn Purvis in 2015. While it does not meet our current sound quality or replacement after 5 year standards, we include this course for those who value the importance of being instructed by Dr. Purvis herself.

This course covers the following topics:

  • Why is parenting abused children different from traditional parenting?
  • What are the 3 most important things you should do during the first 6 months home with a newly adopted child?
  • How can we discipline our children while still remaining connected and create attachment?
  • How can we help a child who has tantrums whenever he hears the word “no,” or is told he can’t do something?
  • How long should parents stay home (if possible) after adoption?
  • How can parents be proactive with children who have experienced abuse and neglect in order to help them and to improve behavior?
  • Parenting kids adopted from foster care and internationally can be hard on the marriage and especially when one of the parents is the one getting educated on the type of parenting these kids need and the other one has not “bought into” it yet. How to help both parents get on the same page.
  • How should parents handle criticism (implied or direct) about their parenting style when they are trying to follow the empower to connect style?
  • What are some practical tools for encouraging attachment?


*This course includes a 1-hour conversational audio lesson, a 10-question quiz, and a certificate of completion with the successful completion of the quiz at 80%. 

Your course will remain active for 180 days from purchase date.

This course aligns with the following regulatory requirements.

Hague Treaty on Intercountry Adoption*

 96.38 (b)(3)


 96.48 (b)(5)

 96.48 (c)



*Important Information for agencies on  Hague Training Requirements.


Virginia Compliance

22VAC40-131-210.A.16

22VAC40-131-210.A.21 

22VAC40-131-210.A.22 



*Important Information for agencies on Virginia core competencies.