trauma therapies
Children may have all sorts of different reactions to a traumatic experience- some become fearful, some sad, while others act out. It is possible for children to heal from trauma and lead happy and healthy lives. Many caregivers worry that having a child talk about what happened in therapy keeps the trauma alive and prevents the child or teen from moving on. This is not the case. Talking about what happened in a therapeutic way is very different and involves processing the impact of the trauma. Dr. Gibson offers several different treatment approaches described below.
Trauma Assessment Pathway (TAP)
There are multiple types of therapy that have been developed for and/or shown effective with traumatized children and teenagers. The Trauma Assessment Pathway is an assessment procedure that allows the clinician to direct a family with a child who has experienced a trauma to the most relevant type of therapy or the most immediate intervention needed. The therapies that can be suggested include Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Childhood Traumatic Grief, Child-Parent Psychotherapy, and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. Please see the sections on each type of therapy for more detailed information.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
(TF-CBT)
TF-CBT is an evidence-based treatment for children and teens who have experienced one or more traumatic events and have symptoms of post-traumatic stress. TF-CBT was originally developed for use with children and teens who were sexually abused, but has been used effectively with those who were physically abused, witnessed domestic violence, or experienced multiple traumas. TF-CBT incorporates non-offending parents or caregivers throughout the course of treatment. Treatment includes education about trauma and common reactions, learning and practicing safety skills, assistance with parenting and behavior problems, stress management and coping skills, learning about feelings and ways to manage them, processing unresolved thoughts and feelings related to the traumatic experience, and family sessions to discuss the trauma together. Talking about the trauma is done in a gradual supportive manner after coping skills have been learned to manage any discomfort that arises.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Childhood Traumatic Grief (TG-CBT)/Childhood Traumatic Grief (CTG)
TG-CBT is an adaptation of TF-CBT for children and teens who have experienced childhood traumatic grief through loss of a loved one. It is also sometimes referred to as Childhood Traumatic Grief (CTG) treatment. TG-CBT involves the same steps as TF-CBT with additional sessions focused specifically on working through the grieving process in a healthy manner.