Douglas Ullman Conference 2025

Join us for the Douglas Ullman Conference 2025: "The Neurobiology of Safety, Threat, and Connection: Polyvagal Perspectives on Working with Children and Their Families," taking place on Thursday, September 25th! This conference series, dedicated to honoring Douglas G. Ullman, one of CRC's Founders and first Board President, will bring top experts in behavioral health to Bowling Green, OH.

We will be joined by Dr. William H. O'Brien, Ph.D., ABPP as he presents his research in psychophysiology and clinical health psychology. Dr. O’Brien is a Professor in the Department of Psychology at Bowling Green State University.

Internationally recognized for his work integrating neuroscience, trauma recovery, and compassionate systems of care, Dr. George Thompson, MD will guide participants through an immersive, interactive keynote workshop that explores Polyvagal Theory (PVT) and its relevance in clinical and caregiving environments that serve children and families. Dr. Thompson is the Chairman of the Polyvagal Institute Board of Directors and Child Psychiatrist specializing in the treatment of developmental trauma and polyvagal-informed crisis response.

In this workshop, Dr. Thompson will offer an overview of Polyvagal Theory (PVT), exploring how the autonomic nervous system continuously monitors for cues of safety and threat, and how it orchestrates physiological responses that match the body’s needs in each moment. Drawing from his diverse experience, he will demonstrate how PVT shapes core aspects of human connection, including co-regulation, trust, and collaboration. Through real-world examples from his work—ranging from teaching UMKC medical students the art of compassionate doctor-patient communication, to helping children with developmental trauma rebuild trust, to training parents in the transformative skill of attuned listening—Dr. Thompson will highlight the power of PVT to foster resilience and growth. He will also explore how these principles are applied in high-stakes environments, such as coaching first responders to transform moments of crisis into opportunities for connection and assistance.

Bio – George S. Thompson, MD
Dr. George Thompson is a child psychiatrist and founder of The Listening Parent Community, an online support for parents based on DDP, Polyvagal Theory, and Thompson’s 30+ years’ experience. He specializes in the residential treatment of traumatized youth and polyvagal-informed crisis response. As Medical Director of crisis services for ReDiscover’s psychiatric urgent care center in Kansas City and two psychiatric residential programs in Kansas, he focuses on creating emotionally safe, curious, coherent, and collaborative healthcare cultures. As neuroscience lead for SonderWorx, he trains community responders in trauma-informed care. Additionally, as a certified DDP therapist, Dr. Thompson develops parenting strategies that nurture a child's heart-felt knowledge that their lives matter to their families, community, and future generations, regardless of the challenges they have faced.

Dr. Thompson was appointed Chairman of the Polyvagal Institute’s board of directors in June 2024, and also serves as a core faculty member for PVI’s certificate course. He is Treasurer of the board of directors for the Kansas Chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness. He was on the board of the DDP Institute from 2014 to 2020, serving as Treasurer for that board as well.

Dr. Thompson is the co-author of Polyvagal Theory and the Developing Child as well as Working with Relational Trauma in Children’s Residential Care. He is working on a third book, The Polyvagal Parent. He is a volunteer Clinical Associate Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine, where he teaches compassionate doctor-patient communication, and the University of Kansas School of Medicine, where he supervises adult and child psychiatry residents. Dr. Thompson's research in medical education, particularly on medical professionalism, has been published in Academic Medicine and recognized with awards. He also teaches the Avatar® Course, promoting personal empowerment and compassionate service

Date: Thursday, September 25, 2025
Time: 9:00am - 4:00pm (Sign-in begins at 9am | Program begins at 9:30am)
Location: Veterans Memorial Building - Atrium (520 Conneaut Ave. Bowling Green, OH 43402)
Request for CEU's submitted
Breakfast & Lunch included

For more information or questions, please contact Caroline Beachy: carolineb@crcwoodcounty.org | 614.361.8296