Resilience and Hope in Uncertain Times:
Supporting the Heart of Head Start Through Today’s Challenges
Head Start has historically faced challenges, and has risen to meet them with strength, courage, and creativity. This keynote honors the resilience of our programs and staff, drawing connections between how we support families and how we sustain ourselves. Together, we will reflect on where we’ve been, what we’re facing now, and how we continue moving forward with purpose and hope to create brighter futures for all children and families.
Jesse Bernal
Who is Jesse Bernal?
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