Building Stronger Communities: TBRI Training Comes to Alaska
Contributed by Linda Kabealo
In August, history was made in Anchorage. Through the pivotal partnership of the University of Alaska Anchorage’s Family Services Training Center and the Karyn Purvis Child Development Institute, more than fifty professionals from across Alaska gathered at the Egan Center to take part in the first-ever Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) Practitioner training held in our state.
Representatives from the Department of Juvenile Justice, Anchorage School District, mental health agencies, and recovery services sat side by side—united in one mission: to learn proven tools to connect with and heal those impacted by trauma. This diverse gathering reflected a shared belief that our children and families deserve more than survival; they deserve hope, belonging, and pathways toward restoration.
REACH 907 was honored to be among those in attendance. Our organization has woven TBRI principles into every layer of our work—from summer camps to counseling, from clubs to family support—because we’ve seen the difference it makes. When caregivers, educators, and professionals connect with children through empathy, structure, and empowerment, the ripple effect strengthens not only families but the entire community.
Today, our small staff of just over 30 includes five trained TBRI Practitioners and one certified Mentor. That means local families can access a depth of trauma-informed care right here in the Mat-Su Valley. This training marks the beginning of something bigger: a network of Alaskans committed to creating safe, nurturing environments where youth can flourish.
We believe that when agencies, schools, and nonprofits speak the same language of connection and trust, it changes outcomes. It breaks cycles. It gives children the chance to believe, “I am seen, I am safe, I am valued.”
As more Alaskans are trained in TBRI, we look forward to a stronger, healthier, more resilient future—one where every child knows they are loved, and every family knows they are not alone.