Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Training and Consultation
Resilience Begins with You
Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Training and Consultation
Resilience Begins with You
About
Biography
Biography
Biography
Jesse Bernal is a licensed marriage and family therapist committed to providing the best training, education, and support to those dedicated to providing care and building resilience in young children and their families. Core values: inclusion, diversity, and social justice.
Services
Biography
Biography
Jesse has a rich resume in providing training, consultation, workshops, and reflective supervision on a multitude of topics related to early childhood mental health and disabilities. All services are individualized so any audience can access the information. This includes: Parents, teachers, home visitors, therapists, managers, and directors.
Contact
Biography
Contact
Click the link below to contact Jesse to further discuss availability, topics, and rates.
Biography
Bio, Education and Credentials
Jesse Bernal, LMFT
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist | Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant
Jesse Bernal is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant based in California. He holds a master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and specialized certifications in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation, Applied Behavior Analysis, and Reflective Practice. He is also endorsed in California as both an Infant-Family Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist and a Reflective Practice Facilitator II.
With over 15 years of experience working with children from birth to five, Jesse’s work centers on nurturing early relational health, promoting social-emotional development, and supporting inclusive practices for children with diverse learning needs. He is deeply committed to the prevention and healing of early childhood trauma and to strengthening caregiver, staff, and community wellness through a trauma-informed, equity-driven lens.
As a national speaker, trainer, and consultant, Jesse partners with Head Start and Early Head Start programs, early childhood education providers, and mental health organizations across the country. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Pacific Oaks College in Pasadena, CA, teaching in both the School of Cultural and Family Psychology and the School of Education. Jesse has collaborated on research with leading voices in the field, including Dr. Daniel Siegel and Dr. Barbara Stroud, and maintains a small therapy caseload to stay connected to direct clinical work.
His work is grounded in a strong commitment to inclusion, anti-racism, and social justice, with a focus on ending early childhood and preschool expulsions and expanding the understanding of early development through a trauma-informed perspective.
- Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
- Master's degree in Counseling Psychology
- Certificate of Specialization in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation (IECMHC)
- CA Endorsed Infant Family Childhood Mental Health Specialist
- CA Endorsed Reflective Practice Facilitator-II
- Certificate of Specialization in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)
- Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CCP) Rostered
- EMDR Trained Therapist
- Adjunct Professor at Pacific Oaks College
Highlights
- Keynote Speaker Covina Development Center, 2024
- Keynote Speaker LA Best Babies Summit, 2023
- Keynote Speaker 9th Annual Inclusion Collaborative State Conference, San Jose, CA, 2022
- Keynote Speaker 'Connecting the Dots' An Early Childhood Education Conference- Olympic Education Service Bremerton, WA 2017
- Keynote Speaker "Disabilities Possibilities Conference", CA 2016 and 2018
- Birth of Brilliance Conference Presenter, 2024
- ZERO TO THREE Annual Conference Presenter, CO 2017, MN 2023
- City of Phoenix Head Start Summit Presenter, Phoenix, AZ 2022, 2024
- California Head Start Health Institute Presenter 2017, 2022
- UCLA-DMH Early Childhood Fellowship Presenter 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024
- The Developing Mind Research Team with Dr. Daniel Seigel
- T/TA and consultation to multiple Head Starts in Region 9 and Infant, Early Childhood, and School Aged servicing programs
Work Experience
- Trauma-Informed Care
- 0-5 Population
- Therapeutic, Behavioral, and Educational Consultation and Reflective Supervision
- Head Start and Early Head Start Consultation
- Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health
- Inclusion, Children with Autism and Developmental Delays
- Interpersonal Neurobiology Research
- Providing psychotherapy (individual, parent-child)
Training and Services
My Approach
Whether we are talking about challenging behaviors, staff wellness, trauma-informed care, brain development, or inclusive practices, my goal is simple:
Make essential information about early childhood both accessible and engaging for everyone in the room.
My trainings are not one-size-fits-all. They are designed to be interactive, relatable, and rooted in real-world experiences. Every session is shaped by the understanding that early childhood professionals and caregivers come from diverse backgrounds and face complex, ever-changing demands, and all deserve tools that are practical, affirming, and grounded in current research.
I work closely with programs to tailor content for the unique needs of your team. Whether you’re a teacher, home visitor, therapist, parent, or administrator, you'll leave with new insights, usable strategies, and space to reflect.
Trainings are adaptable for:
- Teachers and Classroom Staff
- Home Visitors, Family Support Specialists, and Direct Service Providers
- Therapists, Social Workers, and Mental Health Consultants
- Parents and Caregivers
- Program Leaders and Administrators
- And more...
No matter your role, we will explore meaningful ways to support children’s development, build stronger relationships, and care for ourselves because when adults thrive, children do too!
NEW! Reflective Practice and Community of Practice
Reflective Practice for Individuals and Small Groups
Ideal for educators, therapists, or anyone in the helping profession. Reflective practice offers a safe, supportive space to slow down, process your experiences, and reconnect with your purpose.
Reflective practice session offer individual and small groups a reflective space rooted in relational and trauma-informed principles. These sessions focus on deep listening, emotional awareness, and building capacity for resilience. Whether you're navigating stress, vicarious trauma, or the complexity of serving young children and families, reflective practice helps you feel seen, supported, and strengthened in your role.
*Participants working toward California Endorsement may count these sessions toward their required reflective supervision hours.
Community of Practice Groups
Connection is powerful, especially when you're not alone in your role. Community of Practice Groups bring together professionals in similar positions (e.g., home visitors, teachers, supervisors, mental health consultants) to reflect, share, and grow in a facilitated space. These ongoing groups are designed to foster collaboration, reduce burnout, and strengthen confidence through shared experience. Each session includes structured reflection, peer support, and tools for navigating challenges in real time.
NEW! Head Start and Early Head Start Consultation
With almost a decade of experience working within the Mental Health and Disabilities content areas of both Head Start and Early Head Start programs, Jesse is now offering consultation services to ensure that Head Start and Early Head Start grantees are not only meeting program requirements, but thriving in their support to children and families with mental health and disability needs. Examples of consultation support include:
- Policy and Procedure Support and Review
- Performance standard evaluation
- Mental Health and Disabilities Systems Organization
- Wellness Promotion evaluation, implementation, and support (1302.45 a, 1-4)
- Mental Health Consultant evaluation, implementation, and support (1302.45 b, 1-6)
- Additional services for children evaluation, implementation, and support (1302.61)
Popular Training Topics
Below is a sample of some of the most frequently requested training topics. All topics can be adapted to different audiences and time lengths depending on your program need:
Social/Emotional/Behavioral and Mental Health Content Areas:
- Wired for Connection: Understanding Brain Development & Challenging Behaviors in Young Children
- Trauma-Informed, Equity-Centered: A Holistic Approach to Understanding Trauma
- ✨ TRENDING: Sharing Joy & Calming Chaos: The Power of Attachment in Early Childhood
- Protective Eyes, Compassionate Hearts: Mandated Reporting & Child Abuse Prevention
- Wellness in Action: Community Care for Helping Professionals
- NEW: Cultivating Joy in the Workplace
- ✨ TRENDING Responding Rather Than Reacting: Building Skills in Self-Regulation & Co-Regulation
- ✨ TRENDING: Supporting Transgender and Gender Expansive Young Children
- NEW: Rooted in Relationship: Building Meaningful Connections with Families
Disabilities and Inclusion Content Areas:
- Creating Inclusive Spaces: Strategies for Classrooms & Home Visits
- Supporting Emotional Growth in Children with Special Needs
- Strength-Based Support for Developmental Delays & Diverse Learning Profiles
- ✨ TRENDING: Engaging Families of Children with Special Needs: Building Trust & Collaboration
- NEW: Understanding and Supporting Children with Autism & Similar Developmental Needs
- ✨ NEW/TRENDING: Autism 101: Foundational Skills for Working with Children with ASD
Workshops
New workshops designed to meet your organization's needs. Workshops can be individualized.
- Community Wellness Workshops
A three part series for teachers, therapists, and health care providers covering:
Vicarious Trauma, Burn-Out, and Emotional Fatigue; signs, symptoms and more
Assessing Community-Care, Self-Care, Activities in Motion, and Sustainability
Barriers Assessment, Follow-Through, and On-Going Practice
- Trauma Informed Care Workshops*
A three part series teachers, therapists, and health care providers covering:
Understanding Trauma and Trauma-Informed Care from an Anti-Racist and Holistic Lens
How Trauma Impacts Young Children: Brain and Body
How Trauma Impacts Behavior and Create Safety for Children
Providing safety for Parents and Caregivers: Historical and Transgenerational Trauma, and Social/Cultural Implication (*Meets Head Start Performance Standard 1302.45)
- Parent Education Workshops* Now offering a variety of trainings specifically aimed to support parents and caregivers. Examples of topics included are: Parent Fatigue and Self Care, Challenging Behaviors, Mindful Parenting, Secure Attachment (*Meets Head Start Performance Standard 1302.46 a)
Trauma Specific Training
The challenges of the past few year, ranging from natural disasters and community violence to immigration fears, grief, loss, and systemic stress, have created a new level of need for children, families, educators, and caregivers. In response, the following trainings were developed to support healing, connection, and resilience:
- Self-Care, Community Care, and Wellness for Helping Professionals
- Self-Care, Community Care, and Wellness for Parents and Caregivers
- Supporting Children and Families Through Grief and Loss
- Social-Emotional Growth and Challenging Behaviors: Helping Children Thrive in the Classroom
- Parenting Fatigue: Tools to Support Overwhelmed Caregivers
- How Trauma Impacts the Brain and Body of Young Children
These trainings are grounded in a trauma-informed, relational, and equity-centered approach, offering practical tools, reflection, and support for those working with or caring for young children during difficult times
Individualized Trainings
Have a specific training need for your staff? A certain topic you need to cover for your performance standards? We can work together to create an individualized training to meet your programs needs.
Training Structure
Training structures vary and can be modified to meet your organizations need.
- Multiple Day
- Full Day
- Half Day
- Hourly
- Keynote
- Panel