Therapeutic Interventions for Trauma
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Therapy, but which one?
Many of our children in Out of Home Care have experienced trauma, abuse and neglect. You may need to think about what therapeutic interventions may be the right fit for them. Here are the four most common evidence-based therapeutic interventions for children with developmental trauma.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing is a non-talking psychotherapy treatment that can help children and adults reduce and resolve issues and symptoms relating to traumatic memories.
It can be used for symptoms associated with many issues, such as trauma, PTSD, addiction, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, grief, chronic pain, phobias, and more.
EMDR helps the brain to reprocess adverse life experiences by releasing painful feelings trapped in the nervous system exchanging them for more resolved and peaceful feelings.
What is the process?
The therapist will work with you to recall a disturbing thought, feeling, or memory, and uses bilateral stimulation (something you can
see, hear or touch, that occurs in a moving side to side pattern, such as moving your eyes back and forth) to start reprocessing the memory.
EMDR has 8 different phases and works with the past, present, and future.
This therapy is grounded on the belief that the mind can heal from psychological trauma, much like the body can heal from physical trauma, and EMDR can unlock this healing process.
Theraplay
Theraplay is focused on supporting and building healthy attachment between a child and their caregiver, as well as self-esteem, trust in others, and joyful engagement.
This therapy is based on the belief that a strong attachment between a child and parent is the basis of a child’s ongoing well-being and mental health.
It is appropriate for children of all ages, including babies and teenagers.
Theraplay is not a ‘talk’ therapy and focuses on the now, not what happened in the past.
What does a session look like?
The therapist guides the child or young person and their parent through playful, challenging, and nurturing activities.
Parent involvement increases as the therapy progresses.
The activities are aimed to build feelings of security, connection and feeling cared for and worthy of care.
You might be asked to play some of the games at home.
There are parent-only sessions throughout where you can talk about progress and challenges.
Neurofeedback
Neurofeedback is a non-drug, reward-based training system for your brain.
It modifies the electrical activity of the central nervous system.
It can help kids calm down, to pay better attention in school and to fall asleep quicker at night.
It can help adults with regulation and focus It is also used to treat clinical conditions such as ADHD, stress disorders, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, headaches, migraines, some forms of memory concerns and sleep issues.
What does a session look like?
FIRST the therapist will do a test called a QEEG. - It is like making a movie of your brain waves, so we can see what is happening in your brain.
Special wires are attached to your head with a sticky, gooey gel. These are electrodes that measure brain waves so the therapist can see what they do.
Then will come back for s second session to talk about what sort of Neurofeedback therapy will work best for you. Normally you visit your therapist 2 or 3 times a week.
Wires are connected to your ears and also to your head or face. Computer software will then detect and record specific brain activity while also amplifying brain activity by providing feedback signals through using images on a screen.
TF-CBT
TF-CBT stands for: Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
It is a treatment for children and young people who have experienced trauma, and their parents or carers.
It can reduce the symptoms of trauma, and depressive and anxiety symptoms.
Aims to assist parents and carers with their own distress, and works with parenting skills and supportive interactions with the child or young person.
Therapy is short-term and structured.
The Phases: PPRACTICE
Psychoeducation: To normalise responses by children and caregivers to traumatic events and support accurate cognitions
Parenting skills: Teaching parents
Relaxation techniques: Skills to children and parents
Affect identification and regulation: Skills to identify, label, process, express and regulate emotions
Cognitive coping: Methods for identifying thoughts leading to distress and problem behaviours, how to challenge thoughts and replace with accurate/ helpful ones.
Trauma narration and processing: Narrative of incident
In vivo mastery: In vivo mastery involves gradually building up to or mastering the end point through mastering a series of smaller steps. e.g. the child sleeping in her own bed or attending full days of school.
Conjoint child-parent sessions: Child communicates narrative to parent
Enhancing safety & future growth: Identify fears and potential dangers, and build skills
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