ARC® Therapy in Niagara

ARC® helps individuals understand how trauma affects the brain and body, while building practical skills for emotional regulation, secure relationships, and long-term resilience.

How the ARC® Model Works

Developed by the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute (JRI), ARC® is built on 10 core building blocks organized around three essential areas of healing:

Attachment – strengthening safe, supportive caregiver relationships
Self-Regulation – reducing emotional and physiological overwhelm
Competency – building confidence, coping skills, and empowerment

Rather than pathologizing trauma responses, ARC® helps children and caregivers understand that these reactions are adaptive survival responses—and that change is possible.

Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency® for Trauma Healing

The Attachment, Self-Regulation, and Competency® (ARC) Model is an evidence-based, trauma-informed approach used at ATTCH Niagara to support children, youth, families, and caregivers impacted by trauma and attachment disruption.

ARC® helps individuals understand how trauma affects the brain and body, while building practical skills for emotional regulation, secure relationships, and long-term resilience.

ARC® in Practice at ATTCH Niagara

ARC® is integrated into therapy in a collaborative, developmentally appropriate way. Our clinicians use:

Clear, child-friendly explanations of trauma and “false alarms” in the brain
Sensory and somatic regulation strategies
Visual tools and worksheets to support understanding
Caregiver coaching to reinforce regulation and attachment at home

These tools reduce emotional distress, improve behaviour, and strengthen caregiver-child connection.

Who ARC® Therapy Supports

ARC® is particularly effective for:

Children and youth who have experienced trauma or loss
Families navigating attachment challenges
Foster, kinship, and adoptive families
Caregivers seeking trauma-informed parenting tools
Children struggling with regulation, behaviour, or self-esteem

Positive changes are often seen in emotional regulation, behaviour, relationships, and daily functioning.

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Training, Expertise, and Accessibility

ATTCH Niagara clinicians have received formal ARC® training through the Trauma Center at JRI, including advanced sensory regulation training. Our Founder and Clinical Director, Lori Gill, and ATTCH Niagara are listed on the official ARC® provider directory.

As a non-profit organization, we offer sliding scale and subsidized therapy, ensuring trauma-informed care remains accessible to families who need it.

Ready to begin?

Take the first step toward healing today.