About us
At Connective Strength, we use Nonviolent Resistance based interventions to help overcome harmful and self-destructive behaviour in families, foster homes, residential homes, school and the community.
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Providing a unique and innovative service that empowers families to stay together, overcome harmful and destructive behaviours, and reconnect with one another.
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At a time when too many children and young people end up in care for too long, we provide a unique, innovative service that empowers families to stay together, overcome harmful and destructive behaviours, and reconnect with one another.
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Training Programs
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Delivering expert professional training in Non-Violent Resistance (NVR), with deep specialism and extensive experience in this area.
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In our training programme, two pioneers of Nonviolent Resistance – based therapy and practice – Peter Jakob, who first introduced the approach to the UK and Kerry Shoesmith, the first to use the the approach in residential services - deliver central and agency-based training with specialisms in trauma, child-focus and children who are in care.
Kerry Shoesmith
Pioneering Therapeutic Leader in High-Risk and Complex Care
Welcome to our organisation, where we specialise in training, therapeutic consultation, and support for high-risk and complex cases. Leading our efforts are Kerry Shoesmith and Dr Peter Jacob. Kerry is the first and only ReAttach trainer in the UK, bringing unparalleled expertise to our team.
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With over 20 years of experience in youth and community work, Kerry has a distinguished background in both voluntary and statutory services. She began her career in residential childcare in 2000, eventually managing and supporting home managers as a Director. Under her leadership, one home received Outstanding ratings from Ofsted for six consecutive years—a distinction achieved by only 22 out of 3,309 homes at that time.
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Kerry’s dedication to Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) led her to earn an MSc in CBT and Mental Health, enabling her to deliver direct therapeutic interventions to young people and provide clinical supervision to staff teams. Her work has significantly influenced therapeutic care planning, fostering environments where young people can heal from past trauma.
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In 2013, Kerry incorporated Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) into her practice after being introduced to the concepts by Dr Peter Jacob. This approach, combined with CBT and other therapeutic modalities, forms the foundation of her therapeutic methodology.
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As the UK's pioneering ReAttach trainer, Kerry continues to innovate in the field of therapeutic care, offering specialised services to organisations, families, children, and adults. Her commitment and expertise ensure that our services deliver the highest standard of support and intervention for those in need.
​​With a background in social work, Peter has worked as a clinical psychologist and family therapist in both child and adolescent mental health services and in adult mental health for over 35 years, specialising in working with people who have experienced abuse and with children and families involved with child protective services.
Peter’s concern is for understanding the contexts in which peoples’ difficulties emerge and working towards social justice as a key underpinning of psychotherapy.
He has introduced Non Violent Resistance (NVR) to the UK and has adapted the approach for families that face multiple challenges and for adopted children and young people in foster- or residential care. His work with children who have experienced adversity has inspired him to develop a child focus in NVR. Peter is a prolific national and international presenter.
Dr Peter Jakob
Consultant Clinical Psychologist, CPsychol, AFBPS, HCPC Systemic Family Therapist; NVRA accredited Practitioner, Supervisor and Trainer
Our aims
At Connective Strength, we provide a unique and innovative service that empowers families to stay together, overcoming harmful and destructive behaviour, and reconnect with one another.
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We offer a structured family preservation model to statutory organisations, direct therapeutic services for families, and training for individual professionals and organisations in evidence-based, high-efficacy methods.
Our primary approach integrates Non-Violent Resistance Therapy and practice with Reattach. It further draws on a wide variety of trauma-focused methods, such as relationship-building, developing support networks, sensory awareness and embodiment, imagination, and connection.
These trauma-focused ways of working are especially helpful in supporting families who have experienced high levels of adversity and painful childhood experiences.
We are dedicated to connecting and establishing a community of practice among professionals who share a commitment to working courageously with families.
