Disability Supports & Upholding Rights
Using a Relational Neuroscience & Trauma-Informed Lens

Delivered by NATINA - Frian Wadia MNZM

Online, delivered via ZOOM

DATE 18 June, 9am - 3.30pm

If you work alongside disabled children, young people or adults, this one-day online workshop will strengthen your ability to engage and support with confidence, compassion and practical skills using relational neuroscience & trauma informed care principles.

Grounded in relational neuroscience, trauma-informed practice and disability rights frameworks in Aotearoa, this workshop explores how trauma impacts the nervous system, how distress shows up in behaviour, and how support practices can either reduce harm or unintentionally add to it.

You will grow your awareness about how your own nervous system, narratives, and dysfunctional coping mechanisms impact everyday interactions and relationships, and deepen your understanding of co-regulation, de-escalation and relational safety.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this workshop, participants will be able to:

Understand what trauma is and how it can show up in the lives of disabled people and their whānau
Explain key principles of relational neuroscience and nervous system regulation
Recognise how their own nervous system responses influence interactions
Apply practical co-regulation and de-escalation strategies in moments of distress
Identify ways to prevent or reduce re-traumatisation
Strengthen mana-enhancing, rights-based practice that upholds self-determination and supports sense of felt safety.

Participants will leave with practical tools that can be used immediately — building connection, trust, reducing distress and supporting disabled people to feel genuinely valued, safe and heard.

Connection changes outcomes. Learn how to connect, co-regulate & care with compassion.

Essential Topics Covered:

What is trauma? Causes & impacts of trauma
Trauma in the disability context
Trauma Informed Principles & Why are trauma informed approaches important?
Understanding relational neuroscience
Creating relational safety, co-regulation & community
De-escalation & Responding to distressed behaviours
Shifting away from behaviourist approaches
Understanding Disability Rights & EGL principles through the lens of relational neuroscience.
Adopting trauma informed principles and relational neuroscience in your personal life or as an organisation.

Who Should Attend

Disability service providers, caregivers, educators, allied professionals, support workers, leaders, and anyone working alongside disabled children, youth, and adults who wants to:

Reduce harm and re-traumatisation
Deepen relational safety and trust
Uphold rights and mana
Respond, not react to distressed behaviours with confidence and compassion
Align interactions and professional practice with relational neuroscience, trauma informed principles, disability rights and Enabling Good Lives (EGL) principles

This workshops is worth 20 points/6.5 hours CPD

Book Now 18 June

About the presenter:

Frian Wadia MNZM - NATINA

Frian Wadia MNZM is a passionate advocate, educator and community champion committed to improving outcomes for disabled children, young people and adults in Aotearoa. She brings over two decades of lived and professional experience in disability, shaped profoundly as a parent of three children with support needs, navigating education, health and support systems alongside them.

Frian’s work and advocacy is strongly focused on inclusion and equity for disabled, neurodivergent and other disadvantaged children and their families, through the adoption of disability rights, relational neuroscience, and trauma informed principles.

Her facilitation style combines clarity, warmth and courageous honesty — inviting reflection while offering concrete strategies that reduce harm and strengthen the mana of the individual.

Frian is deeply committed to collective learning and systemic improvement.

Above all, Frian brings humanity to her work — combining lived experience, professional expertise and unwavering belief in the inherent dignity and potential of every disabled person.

Date: Thursday 18 June

9am - 3.30pm

Online workshop, delivered via ZOOM

Book Now 18 June

Price & Registration Information

Online workshop
Standard: $350.00 per person including GST

Payment online is by Debit or Credit Card: VISA, Mastercard or American Express only and there are 3 easy steps to complete the online booking process.

Upon hitting the blue "Complete Booking" button, you will receive an automated email confirming your registration and you will also be a sent in a separate email a Tax Invoice showing your booking as being paid in full by Credit Card.
This will appear on your statement as from LIL REGIE LTD WELLINGTON, our NZ based booking agent.

If you have any issues or questions about your booking, please contact Nathalie van Dort: nathalie@grow.co.nz or ph: 021 066 9811

Can't pay online and require an invoice?

We work hard to ensure that all workshops are cost effective by automating our systems. If your organisation requires an invoice (rather than paying by debit or credit card) there will be a $25.00 inc GST surcharge for this, and you will need to supply:

The full name and postal address required to appear on the invoice.
The contact name and email of the person(s) responsible for authorising this expense and approving payment.
Any purchase order references required on vendor invoices.

Please email nathalie@grow.co.nz if you would like to reserve a place, as our workshops fill quickly.

What happens if you have to cancel?

We know that sometimes your plans can change for many different reasons. Should you be unable to attend, a substitute delegate is welcome to attend at no extra cost. If a substitute delegate is not available and you need to cancel your registration, please be aware of the following:

Up to 7 days prior to the event you will be provided a refund of your registration cost, less a $20.00 inc GST per attendee service charge.

If you cancel within 7 days of the event, you are not eligible to receive a refund. Please note: should your registration not be paid by the time of the event, you are still liable to make the payment. Unpaid accounts may be passed over to our debt collection agency and additional costs may be incurred.

All cancellations must be received in writing via email.

Training is cancellable by GROW with 7 days’ notice if a minimum number of attendees is not met and full refunds will be provided.

Please note: GROW Ltd reserves the right to make any amendments that we may deem to be in the best interest of the forum – it is however very unlikely and we will notify you as soon as possible should this occur.

For more information see our full Terms of Trade.