Working With Grieving And Traumatized Children And Adolescents

Praise for Working With Grieving and Traumatized Children and Adolescents "This much-needed book effectively argues for the use of structured activities as the basis for exploring trauma-specific questions in clinical work with traumatized children and adolescents. Numerous examples of children's artwork enhance the book and illustrate the effectiveness of the treatment. The authors' methods have been used successfully for many years and represent a major contribution to the study of trauma that will be welcomed by both students and seasoned practitioners." —Nancy Boyd Webb, DSW, LICSW, RPT-S Professor of Social Work Emerita, Fordham University, Author: Play Therapy With Children in Crisis "The authors provide a clear theoretical framework and demonstrate practical sensory-based activities so kids can discover and reconnect with their bodies' agency and vitality. Refreshingly, this vehicle creates an emotionally safe journey for the child into the mystery of the experiential, embedded in implicit memory. It's chock-full of invitations to explore self-impressions and worldviews in a way that children feel seen, not assessed." —Peter A. Levine, PhD, and Maggie Kline, MS, LMFT, Coauthors: Trauma Through a Child's Eyes and Trauma-Proofing Your Kids A structured, sequential, and evidence-based approach for the treatment of children and adolescents experiencing trauma or grief Working With Grieving and Traumatized Children and Adolescents features the Structured Sensory Interventions for Traumatized Children, Adolescents and Parents (SITCAP) intervention model, proven in successfully addressing violent situations such as murder, domestic violence, and physical abuse, as well as non-violent grief- and trauma-inducing situations including divorce, critical injuries, car fatalities, terminal illness, and environmental disasters. Filled with practical and proven activities for use with children and adolescents experiencing trauma and grief, this resource is based on the authors' experience working with all types of traumatic events in school-, agency-, and community-based programs across the country.

This authoritative guide has introduced many tens of thousands of clinicians to Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), a leading evidence-based treatment for traumatized children and their parents or caregivers. Preeminent clinical researchers provide a comprehensive framework for assessing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other trauma-related symptoms, and traumatic grief in 3- to 18-year-olds; building core coping skills; and directly addressing and making meaning of children's trauma experiences. Implementation is facilitated by sample scripts, case examples, troubleshooting tips, and reproducible client handouts. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible materials in a convenient 8 1/2" x 11" size. TF-CBT is listed in SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-Based Programs and Practices. New to This Edition *Incorporates a decade's worth of advances in TF-CBT research and clinical practice. *Updated for DSM-5. *Chapter on the model's growing evidence base. *Chapter on group applications. *Expanded coverage of complex trauma, including ways to adapt TF-CBT for children with severe behavioral or affective dysregulation. See also the edited volume Trauma-Focused CBT for Children and Adolescents: Treatment Applications for more information on tailoring TF-CBT to children's varying developmental levels and cultural backgrounds.

This is the authoritative guide to conducting trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT), a systematic, evidence-based treatment for traumatized children and their families. Provided is a comprehensive framework for assessing posttraumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, and other symptoms; developing a flexible, individualized treatment plan; and working collaboratively with children and parents to build core skills in such areas as affect regulation and safety. Specific guidance is offered for responding to different types of traumatic events, with an entire section devoted to grief-focused components. Useful appendices feature resources, reproducible handouts, and information on obtaining additional training. TF-CBT has been nationally recognized as an exemplary evidence-based program. See also the edited volume Trauma-Focused CBT for Children and Adolescents: Treatment Applications for more information on tailoring TF-CBT to children's varying developmental levels and cultural backgrounds.

Supporting Traumatized Children and Teenagers is an accessible, comprehensive book providing an overview of the impact of trauma on children and adolescents and how they can be supported following trauma. Trauma can result from a range of experiences from bullying to witnessing violence to living through war. This book explores the different reactions children may experience, and the impact trauma can have. Variables affecting the impact of trauma are explored such as different developmental stages, gender, the reactions of friends and parents, the child's personality, and their caring environment. Appropriate and effective ways of helping children after a traumatic event are outlined, and different types of therapy, such as group therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy, are discussed. The book offers case examples and practical tips throughout, and includes a chapter on how someone working with a traumatized child can help and look after themselves. This book will be invaluable to a range of professionals working with traumatized children including counsellors, child and family social workers and therapists, as well as others involved with traumatized children such as foster carers and teachers.

Grief and Trauma in Children provides easy-to-implement, ready-to-use therapy materials to help busy practitioners use grief and trauma interventions in real-world settings. All interventions in the book have been developed and researched with clinicians who faced challenging environments, including devastating natural disasters, and in communities where ongoing violence victimized children directly. Even in these stressful environments, clinicians found the interventions easy to implement, effective in helping children acquire coping skills, and effective in decreasing traumatic symptoms in order to proceed with grieving without impaired functioning. Grief and Trauma in Children blends cognitive-behavioral therapy methods and narrative practices to present an integrated grief and trauma model that can be delivered individually, to a group of children, or to a family. The book uses the Draw, Discuss, Write, Witness (DDWW) method to help children explore narratives of resilience and build coping capacity, engage in restorative stories about what happened, and reconnect and reengage in meaningful ways that allow the child to enjoy life again and get back on-track developmentally. Grief and Trauma in Children also provides up-to-date research on childhood bereavement and trauma, a brief description of the theoretical framework of the Grief and Trauma Intervention (GTI) model, a description of session-by-session goals and activities, case examples with ways to address common challenges, and photocopiable tools for clinicians to easily implement the model, such as session agendas, fidelity checklists, handouts for parents, and activity sheets for children.

Loss, grief, and trauma come into the lives of adolescents in many forms and with more frequency than the adults in their lives may realize. Assessing the depth and nature of their emotions can be difficult; adolescents are typically reluctant to show strong emotions and can be difficult to reach, particularly when they experience the untimely death of a loved one. How best to work with a young person who may have trouble communicating their emotions even under the best of circumstances? And what if he or she has learned about the death of a loved one or classmate from another peer rather than a family member? What about gender differences and the influence of culture and family? What role do cell phones, text messaging, and technologies such as Facebook play in the adolescent grief experience? Adolescents’ use of technology creates unlimited access to friends, support systems, and information, but news that spreads quickly without buffering effects can intensify the strength of the adolescent grief responses. Counseling Adolescents Through Loss, Grief, and Trauma not only examines these issues; it also provides clinicians with a wealth of resources and time-tested therapeutic activities that are sure to become an indispensable part of any clinician’s practice.

What happens when a child experiences bereavement or trauma or both? When left untreated, childhood trauma crosses generational boundaries, developing risk factors that far outpace the threat of any other childhood disease, and yet, most children who have lived through a significant traumatic experience, usually do not get the care they need to begin their healing process. Children who have experienced trauma are often left grappling with devastating loss – loss of self esteem, security, innocence and trust – that is more challenging to diagnose and treat, than the more concrete loss of family, a pet or a home. Loss, Hurt and Hope: The Complex Issues of Bereavement and Trauma in Children gathers the collective wisdom of professionals who have spent years on the front lines working with children victimized by trauma. Each chapter illuminates how loss can shape a child’s development and provides professionals with the tools necessary to help these children move from despair to hope and renewal. Experts in the field of child trauma explore the vulnerability of these children, effective methods of caring for them in a variety of treatment settings, and examine the impact of loss on organizations charged with caring for those who have experienced trauma. Loss, Hurt and Hope offers a multifaceted lens through which loss can be examined and appreciated, laying the groundwork for significant progress toward improving the understanding of the power of loss in our society.

Rich with case material and artwork samples, this volume demonstrates a range of creative approaches for facilitating children's emotional reparation and recovery from trauma. Contributors include experienced practitioners of play, art, music, movement and drama therapies, bibliotherapy, and integrative therapies, who describe step-by-step strategies for working with individual children, families, and groups. The case-based format makes the book especially practical and user-friendly. Specific types of stressful experiences addressed include parental loss, child abuse, accidents, family violence, bullying, and mass trauma. Broader approaches to promoting resilience and preventing posttraumatic problems in children at risk are also presented.