Restorative Practice and Circle: The Fundamentals

CE Credits: 12 credit hours, live in person

*Participants must attend the full training to receive CE credit and have the course marked as completed in their training record. Participants will receive a certificate of completion via email upon submitting the course evaluation form.*

Who: Any helping professional interested in learning more about Restorative Practice and Circle.

Restorative Justice is a broad term encompassing a growing social movement to institutionalize peaceful approaches to harm, problem-solving, and violations of legal and human rights. Restorative Practiceseeks to balance the needs of the person who was harmed, the person causing harm, and their community(ies) through processes that preserve the safety and dignity for all. Within The Home, Restorative Practice has helped to establish strong relationships bybuilding social and emotional awareness and empathy among clients, families, employees, and administrators.

This training will take place in Circle. In the “safe enough” container of Circle, participants will explore their cultural heritage and experiences with power. Through storytelling in Circle, participants will experience the transformative power of being deeply listened to, and co-creating spaces for learning across difference, healing past harm and preventing future harm.

• 2 sessions, 9:30a-4:30p each day
• Each day will have a lunch break
• Practical and highly interactive training
• Real life scenarios
• In-person at: 780 American Legion Hwy Roslindale MA

1. Describe the fundamental principles of Restorative and Transformative Justice
2. Name the elements, philosophy, and rituals of Circle
3. Identify the three types of Power in program culture and structure
4. Create a plan for Circle and co-keep a Circle
5. Recognize the value of Circle practice in trauma-informed care, enhancing employee engagement, increasing youth, family, and staff voice and building a supportive community

*This course is designed to be very interactive in nature and relies on attendees participating and arriving on time for each session. Please note admission into the training will close at 9:45 am each day.

**The participant handbook will be provided to you upon arrival.

Romeissa Selmane, MS, OTR/L

Romeissa is an occupational therapist and manager at the Home for Little Wanderers, Boston MA. As the first group home OT, she created the foundations for the current OT department, using an evidence-based, trauma- and attachment-informed, occupation-focused, client-centered framework. Romeissa keeps peacemaking circles with youth, parents and staff, along with promoting principles of restorative practice in meetings, conflict mediations, group therapy and individual sessions.

Blanca Valentin, LMHC

Blanca has provided clinical support to children, adults, and families for over 25 years in a variety of roles and settings. Blanca’s clinical work has focused on the treatment of trauma, grief and loss, and generational/intergenerational trauma, through the application of restorative practices, healing circles, and mindfulness. Blanca is committed to the healing of communities of color, in social justice, liberation from all forms of oppression and collective healing. Blanca has provided leadership as Clinical Manager, Program Director, and Clinical Trainer, overseeing programmatic needs, creating, and facilitating trainings, as well as building and implementing structures and protocols to support community-based programs. Blanca worked at The Home for 4 years as Program Director at the HPCSA. In August 2022, Blanca established a private practice, providing training & workshops, coaching, community healing, individual & group therapy.

Continuing Education: 12 CEs

Agenda

Day 1: 9:30am - 4:30pm

9:30 – 11:00am: Elements of Circle

11:00 - 11:15: Morning Break

11:15 – 12:45: Cultural Storytelling

12:45 - 1:15: Lunch

1:15 - 2:30: Power Literacy

2:30 - 2:45: Break

2:45 - 4:30: Transformative Justice

Day 2: 9:30am - 4:30pm

9:30 – 11:00am: Small group work - Circle Planning

11:00 - 11:15: Morning Break

11:15 – 12:45p: Small group work - Practice Keeping a Circle

12:45 - 1:15 lunch

1:15 - 2:30: Navigating difficult moments in Circle

2:30 - 2:45: Break

2:45 - 4:30: Large group discussion - integration of knowledge

Continuing Education Credits

The Home for Little Wanderers has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6861. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Home for Little Wanderers is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

The Home for Little Wanderers, Inc. is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers #SW-0687.

The Home for Little Wanderers #2466 is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 12/9/2025 - 12/9/2026. Social workers completing this course receive 12 general continuing education credits.

For questions about this training, special arrangements, or accommodations, please contact [email protected] ahead of time for assistance.

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