Kathryn Seifert – Children and Families with Attachment & Trauma Problems: The Latest Developmental and Systems Approaches

Outline

OverviewOverview

• Child Development & Attachment Child Development & Attachment
  1. Core concepts of child development and how they are affected by traumaCore concepts of child development and how they are affected by trauma
  2. Vital functions of secure attachmentVital functions of secure attachment
  3. Major symptoms of disrupted attachmentMajor symptoms of disrupted attachment

AssessmentAssessment

• Children Children
  1. 6 symptom categories6 symptom categories
  2. Traumatized brainTraumatized brain
  3. 3 attachment patterns3 attachment patterns
  4. Holistic assessment practicesHolistic assessment practices
  5. Assessing developmentAssessing development
• Parents Parents
  1. Awareness of emotional and environmental triggersAwareness of emotional and environmental triggers
  2. Marital relationships and co-parentingMarital relationships and co-parenting
  3. Parenting attitudes and competenciesParenting attitudes and competencies
  4. Parent mental health and stabilityParent mental health and stability
• Family System Family System
  1. Structure—family systems workStructure—family systems work
  2. Ongoing patternsOngoing patterns
  3. Support systemsSupport systems
  4. Stressors and stress managementStressors and stress management

TreatmentTreatment

• Focus of Intervention Focus of Intervention
  1. ChildChild
  2. Family relationshipsFamily relationships
  3. Community systemsCommunity systems
  4. Rules, roles and boundariesRules, roles and boundaries
• Integration of Interventions Integration of Interventions
  1. Family therapyFamily therapy
  2. CBT and skill building involving parents and schoolsCBT and skill building involving parents and schools
  3. Longevity and relationshipsLongevity and relationships
  4. Story-telling and psycho-drama—healing trauma by changing the end of the storyStory-telling and psycho-drama—healing trauma by changing the end of the story
  5. Movement and rhythmMovement and rhythm
  6. Building confidence and competenceBuilding confidence and competence
• Applications Applications
  1. Foster careFoster care
  2. Departments of Social Services and Juvenile ServicesDepartments of Social Services and Juvenile Services
  3. Acute care and residential treatment programsAcute care and residential treatment programs
  4. Outpatient settings with multiple agency involvementOutpatient settings with multiple agency involvement
• Facilitate the Healing Process Facilitate the Healing Process
  1. The trauma cycle—fight, flight and freezeThe trauma cycle—fight, flight and freeze
  2. UnfreezingUnfreezing
  3. Relaxing and reducing fear and arousal responsesRelaxing and reducing fear and arousal responses
  4. Corrective developmental experienceCorrective developmental experience
  5. Creating attachmentCreating attachment
  6. Using structure attunement and empathyUsing structure attunement and empathy
• Therapeutic Methods Therapeutic Methods
  1. 4 attachment cycles that can occur in the first year of life4 attachment cycles that can occur in the first year of life
  2. RapportRapport
  3. CommitmentCommitment
  4. Building relationshipBuilding relationship
  5. Inner child metaphorInner child metaphor
  6. Family systems therapyFamily systems therapy
  7. Building reciprocityBuilding reciprocity
  8. Moral developmentMoral development
  9. Multimodal approaches and longevityMultimodal approaches and longevity
• Parenting Parenting
  1. 4 aspects of providing a secure base4 aspects of providing a secure base
  2. Reinterpreting child’s behaviorReinterpreting child’s behavior
  3. Facilitating 4 competencies—knowledge, skills, judgment and self-controlFacilitating 4 competencies—knowledge, skills, judgment and self-control
  4. 3 steps to remaining calm and composed3 steps to remaining calm and composed
  5. Creating a sense of belongingCreating a sense of belonging
  6. Reducing and managing family conflictsReducing and managing family conflicts
  7. Creating a healing environmentCreating a healing environment