Complex Trauma Regulation In Children

An innovative somatic and attachment-based treatment for working with children and adolescents who suffer from complex trauma and neglect "[This] is a ground-breaking new approach to treating traumatized children, based on the combination of keen clinical observation, sensory integration, and a deep understanding of the latest advances in the neuroscience of trauma."—Bessel van der Kolk, MD, best-selling author of The Body Keeps the Score The SMART (Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Treatment) program addresses three key processes that can be derailed by developmental trauma--somatic regulation, trauma processing, and attachment-building--and uses movement and sensation to target the neurological structures that support emotional and behavioral regulation. Transforming Trauma in Children and Adolescents teaches therapists the eight key skills required for SMART mastery and provides seven regulation tools for clients, helping children and adolescents manage their feelings and attend to developmental tasks like making friends, participating at school, learning to play with others, and developing a sense of self that includes--but isn't defined by--the trauma they've experienced. Enriched with case studies and recommended adaptations, the book includes resources for parents and other caregivers who want to provide ongoing supportive care outside the clinical setting.

Tens of thousands of clinicians have used this book--now revised and expanded with 50% new material--to plan and organize effective interventions for children and adolescents who have experienced complex trauma. The Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC) framework can be used with children, parents, and other caregivers in a wide range of settings. The volume guides the clinician to identify key treatment goals and intervene flexibly to strengthen child-caregiver relationships and support healthy development and positive functioning. In a large-size format with lay-flat binding for easy photocopying, it is packed with case vignettes and clinical tools, including 79 reproducible handouts and forms. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible materials.

With contributions from prominent experts, this pragmatic book takes a close look at the nature of complex psychological trauma in children and adolescents and the clinical challenges it presents. Each chapter shows how a complex trauma perspective can provide an invaluable unifying framework for case conceptualization, assessment, and intervention amidst the chaos and turmoil of these young patients' lives. A range of evidence-based and promising therapies are reviewed and illustrated with vivid case vignettes. The volume is grounded in clinical innovations and cutting-edge research on child and adolescent brain development, attachment, and emotion regulation, and discusses diagnostic criteria, including those from DSM-IV and DSM-5. See also Drs. Ford and Courtois's edited volume Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders in Adults, Second Edition, and their authored volume, Treatment of Complex Trauma: A Sequenced, Relationship-Based Approach.

This book outlines both the theory and application of regulation intervention strategies for children with complex trauma history. National statistics identify that 1:7 children in the United States are subjected to child abuse or neglect. The age group with the highest reported incidences are in the 1-3 year old age group. The primary perpetrators of this abuse are the child’s caregivers. This age is closely associated with the critical period of development in the areas of the brain, the child’s physiology and their social/emotional well being. When primary attachment is disrupted, delays and disruptions across many domains occur. When the perpetrator of their trauma is the same person who should be ensuring their safety, a child develops behaviors in an attempt to make sense of their world. The behaviors serve a purpose. Behavioral approaches which rely on positive and negative consequences do not adequately address the cause of the behavior and are therefore ineffective. Other existing trauma interventions rely on the individual to cognitively process information. However, when dysregulated, retrieval of information from the frontal lobe of the brain is not physiologically possible. All these approaches also intervene on the assumption that the child knows what normal regulation feels like. Most of these children however have only known chaos and fear novelty. This attachment based intervention model incorporates neurological, physiological, observational and practical regulation intervention strategies for anyone working with children with complex trauma history. It is able to be applied in home, school, community and in therapy environments. When a child feels regulated and safe, the effectiveness of the child’s trauma treatment can be enhanced.

This insightful guide provides a pragmatic roadmap for treating adult survivors of complex psychological trauma. Christine Courtois and Julian Ford present their effective, research-based approach for helping clients move through three clearly defined phases of posttraumatic recovery. Two detailed case examples run throughout the book, illustrating how to plan and implement strengths-based interventions that use a secure therapeutic alliance as a catalyst for change. Essential topics include managing crises, treating severe affect dysregulation and dissociation, and dealing with the emotional impact of this type of work. The companion Web page offers downloadable reflection questions for clinicians and extensive listings of professional and self-help resources. See also Drs. Courtois and Ford's edited volumes, Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders (Adults) and Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders in Children and Adolescents, which present research on the nature of complex trauma and review evidence-based treatment models.

One of the few books on the treatment of psychological trauma in children that provides specific, in-depth individual, group, and family therapy interventions for complex psychological trauma, Treating Complex Trauma in Children and Their Families: An Integrative Approach focuses on the treatment of 6-12 year-old children and their relevant family members. Renowned authors Cheryl B. Lanktree and John N. Briere use their evidence-based, yet flexible treatment model, Integrative Treatment of Complex Trauma for Children (ITCT-C), as they address the use of play therapy, attachment processing, mindfulness, and other approaches, as well as interventions with family/caretaker and community systems. The authors emphasize a culturally sensitive, destigmatizing, and empowering perspective that supports both recovery and posttraumatic growth. Clinical examples and specific tools illustrate how assessment is used to guide individualized and developmentally-appropriate interventions.

With contributions from prominent experts, this pragmatic book takes a close look at the nature of complex psychological trauma in children and adolescents and the clinical challenges it presents. Each chapter shows how a complex trauma perspective can provide an invaluable unifying framework for case conceptualization, assessment, and intervention amidst the chaos and turmoil of these young patients' lives. A range of evidence-based and promising therapies are reviewed and illustrated with vivid case vignettes. The volume is grounded in clinical innovations and cutting-edge research on child and adolescent brain development, attachment, and emotion regulation, and discusses diagnostic criteria, including those from DSM-IV and DSM-5. See also Drs. Courtois and Ford's edited volume Treating Complex Traumatic Stress Disorders (Adults) and their authored volume, Treatment of Complex Trauma: A Sequenced, Relationship-Based Approach.

Tens of thousands of clinicians have used this book--now revised and expanded with 50% new material--to plan and organize effective interventions for children and adolescents who have experienced complex trauma. The Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC) framework can be used with children, parents, and other caregivers in a wide range of settings. The volume guides the clinician to identify key treatment goals and intervene flexibly to strengthen child–caregiver relationships and support healthy development and positive functioning. In a large-size format for easy photocopying, it is packed with case vignettes and clinical tools, including 79 reproducible handouts and forms. Purchasers get access to a webpage where they can download and print the reproducible materials. New to This Edition *Reflects the ongoing development of ARC, including important refinements to foundational strategies and treatment targets. *More than 30 additional handouts and worksheets; all reproducible tools are now downloadable. *Greater attention to caregiver skill development throughout. *Addresses ways ARC is being used in nontraditional settings (schools, day care, primary care practices) as well as diverse clinical contexts. See also Treating Adult Survivors of Childhood Emotional Abuse and Neglect, by Elizabeth K. Hopper, Frances K. Grossman, Joseph Spinazzola, and Marla Zucker, which presents a complementary approach for adults.