In this Brown Bag Seminar, Monika Baumann gives us basic insight into working with children, as well as how to integrate creative ideas from children into treatment with adults. Bring some paper and pens to enhance the Powerpoint teaching as there will be a creative activity!

Mag. Monika Baumann was born and raised in a family of four children in Vienna, Austria. After school and first work experiences in tourism, she decided to study psychology. Besides her studies she gained practical experiences in a neurological and psychiatric hospital for kids, followed by a three-year collaboration in the brain tumor unit for kids and adolescents at the university hospital of Vienna, taught and formed from Dr. Renate Fuiko. She also received a scholarship for three-month participation in the CHOP/ Philadelphia/USA where she gained excellent general experiences with Prof. Dr.Jerylinn Radcliffe. After her studies, she did a family therapy education and besides building her own family (three daughters) she always kept working as a licensed neuropsychologist and family therapist in her private practice.  Due to her husband’s roots, she did a lot of volunteer work in South America, Paraguay.

After her first Brainspotting formation with Dr. David Grand and treatment experiences, she used the technique a lot in Paraguay. Besides treating adults she had amazing possibilities to treat kids and adolescents (as sometimes their parents, siblings, or caregivers) in a children´s home and in a countryside school.

​Just at the time when she was so positively surprised about the success with the Brainspotting treatment in this age group, she went to New York for her first “Trainers’ training” to become a Brainspotting trainer. Dr. David Grand connected her with Dr. Martha Jacobi and they started their first conversation about Brainspotting with kids and adolescents. This lead the two of them to the ongoing and outstanding teamwork and friendship they continue to have, with the aim to provide their experiences and knowledge to as many Brainspotting fellows as possible.

In 2020 she compiled her knowledge in a book (“Brainspotting with Children and Adolescents: An attuned treatment approach for effective brain-body healing”). You can find the book linked in the contributions section.