Treating Traumatized Children

Listening to a small child describe a parent's murder can tax the most seasoned professional. Cases of physical and sexual abuse where trauma was deliberately inflicted can particularly challenge a practitioner's defenses.Treating Traumatized Childrenis the first handbook to provide specific guidance and tools for treating children who have been traumatized by physical and sexual abuse, disaster, divorce, or witnessing violent events. This book will provide helping professionals with a clear blueprint for assessing the impact of trauma and developing specific treatment plans.Beverly James, a specialist in evaluating and treating traumatized children, outlines creative exercises and techniques that will enable clinicians to join with children in slowly and carefully reviewing their experiences and helping them understand and accept their feelings related to the trauma. Art, play, and drama techniques, among others, are presented in a sophisticated yet straightforward style, useful to clinicians with specialized training in such techniques or those using them for the first time.

Beverly James is a clinical social worker who has specialized in evaluating and treating traumatized children for the past twelve years. She has authored a number of articles and coauthored Treating Sexually Abused Children and Their Families. Currently director of the James Institute in Kona, Hawaii, her training skills have brought her national and international recognition.

Contents

List of Illustrations and Tables

Preface

Acknowledgments

1. What Is Trauma?

2. Critical Aspects of Treatment

Returning to the Pain

Developmentally Sequenced Treatment

Involvement of Child's Caregivers

Direct, Open Approach

Intense, Fun Style

Multidimensional Strategy

Hidden Trauma-Reactive Behaviors

Therapist's Responses to Children's Experiences

Summary

3. Traumagenic States to Be Considered in Treatment Planning

Self-Blame

Powerlessness

Loss and Betrayal

Fragmentation of Bodily Experience

Stigmatization

Eroticization

Destructiveness

Dissociative/Multiple Disorder

Attachment Disorder

Summary

4. Guidelines for Evaluation and Treatment Planning

Clarifying Needs, Expectations, and the Therapist's Role

Physical Examination

Comprehensive Background Information

Parent Interviews

Collateral Interviews

Child Assessment

Written Report

Summary

5. Basic Treatment Process

Communication

Sorting Out

Education

Perspective

Summary

6. Explaining Therapy to the Child

Explanatory Metaphors

Summary

7. Self-Blame

Responsibility

Creative Support for INMF

Privacy versus Secrecy

Religious Support

Summary

8. Powerlessness

Empowering Process

From Victim to Survivor

Summary

9. Destructive/Abusive Behaviors

Protection

Control

Underlying Issues

Community Members as Clinical Helpers

Dual Focus for Victim-Victimizing Child

Summary

10. Body Integrity

Body Awareness

Emotions Related to Body Trauma

Education Related to Body Trauma

Child's Perspective of Body Trauma

Summary

11. The Dissociatively Disordered Child

Dissociative Disorders

Multiple Personality Disorder

Diagnosing Dissociative Disorders

Treating the Dissociatively Disordered

Summary

12 Attachment Disturbance

Loss and Disruption

Reunification

Impaired Attachment

Summary

13 Social Rehabilitation

The Socially Inept Child

The Eroticized Child

The Agitated Child

The Socially Inhibited Child

Summary

14. Integration of Traumatizing Events

Clarifying Why Returning to the Pain Is Necessary

Restructuring the Traumatizing Event as a Victorious Survivor

Dealing Directly with Traumatizing Events

Experiencing Mastery

Summary

15. Open-Door Termination

16. Crisis Intervention in Large-Scale Disasters

Authority: Who's in Charge?

Obtain Current Information

Assessment and Interventions

Resources

Post-Disaster Follow Up

Summary

17. Techniques and Exercises

18. Theoretical, Developmental, and Experiential Foundations:
A Personal Story

Bibliography
Appendix A: Resources

Appendix B: Behavioral Checklist to Help Aid Identification of MPD in Children and Adolescents

Appendix C: How to Recognize Why a Child's Behavior Activity and Learning Ability Changes

Appendix D: The Children's Garden Attachment Model

Appendix E: Child/Therapist Work Chart

Parent/Caregiver Work Chart

Appendix F: Parent/Child Supervision Guideline

Appendix G: Songs

Index

About the Author