This workshop provides a foundational understanding of hoarding behaviour through a trauma-informed and person-centered lens. This training is Part 1 of a two-part series, focusing on building knowledge and assessment skills for those supporting individuals experiencing hoarding challenges.
Participants will explore the psychological, emotional, and environmental factors that contribute to hoarding, including the role of trauma, attachment, and early life experiences. The training introduces the diagnostic criteria for hoarding disorder, common behavioural patterns, and the complex relationships individuals may develop with possessions.
Through discussion, case examples, and practical frameworks, participants will learn how objects can serve as sources of safety, emotional regulation, and identity for people experiencing hoarding challenges. The workshop also introduces a trauma-informed approach that shifts the focus from judgment to curiosity and understanding, encouraging participants to consider the underlying experiences that shape hoarding behaviour.
Participants will develop practical skills to assess hoarding situations safely and compassionately, including identifying potential health and safety risks, evaluating levels of insight, and recognizing readiness for change using the Stages of Change model. Part 2 of this series will focus on practical intervention strategies, engagement techniques, and skill-based approaches for supporting individuals in addressing hoarding behaviours.
This training is ideal for front-line workers, including case managers, housing workers, outreach staff, clinicians, and program managers who support individuals experiencing housing instability, mental health challenges, or complex life circumstances.
Understanding Hoarding – Part 1: Theory, Trauma, Assessment – Course Learning Objectives:
- Develop a foundational understanding of hoarding behaviour, including the DSM-5 criteria for hoarding disorder and common behavioural patterns.
- Explore the relationship between trauma, attachment disruptions, and hoarding behaviour, and how possessions may function as sources of safety and emotional regulation.
- Understand the principles of trauma-informed care and how they apply when supporting individuals experiencing hoarding challenges.
- Learn how to assess hoarding situations, including identifying safety risks, health concerns, and environmental hazards within living spaces.
- Examine how readiness for change can impact interventions and explore the Stages of Change model as a framework for engagement.
Understanding Hoarding – Part 1: Theory, Trauma, Assessment – Course Learning Outcomes:
- Describe the key characteristics and behavioural patterns associated with hoarding.
- Apply a trauma-informed lens when working with individuals experiencing hoarding challenges.
- Identify safety, health, and environmental risks associated with hoarding situations.
- Assess a person’s readiness for change using the Stages of Change model to guide supportive interventions.
- Approach hoarding situations with greater empathy, curiosity, and practical assessment
Instructor: Dana Kamin
Mode(s): Live In-Person
Length: One Day
Cost: $140 per person
Target Group: All