The experience of childhood trauma is not unusual. A recent national study in the U.S. found that 45% of children have experienced at least one adverse childhood experience (ACE), which is a potentially traumatic event.  This means that a significant portion of Americans are at risk of developing PTSD from childhood trauma. Unfortunately, many people with PTSD do not receive...[ read more ]

Childhood trauma can have lasting effects, leading to brain changes associated with depression and other mental health problems. Fortunately, there are effective treatments available to reduce negative outcomes and improve functioning for children with trauma exposure. If a child in your life has a history of trauma, it’s important to learn about the effects of trauma, as well as helpful...[ read more ]

If your child is in therapy, it’s important to understand the role that you play in supporting their treatment. When they’re enrolled in play therapy, there are certain things that are helpful to know as a parent. Below, we’ll cover what role you can expect to take on when your child is enrolled in play therapy.  Participating in consultations with...[ read more ]

When you’re choosing mental health services for your child, you want to find something that’s a good fit. If you’re exploring these services, it’s beneficial to consider play therapy. This modality is uniquely suited to meet children’s developmental needs. As a parent, it’s important to have an understanding of what play therapy involves. We’ll explore the details below.  What is...[ read more ]

Children who are exposed to traumatic events, such as violence, war, or sexual abuse, may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Children with PTSD show symptoms such as upsetting dreams, extreme psychological reactions to triggers that remind them of the traumatic event, social withdrawal, outbursts of anger, concentration problems, and frequent displays of negative emotions like sadness, shame, and fear. While...[ read more ]

Programs that support LGBTQ+ youth are essential for the health and well-being of young members of the LGBTQ+ community. According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 69% of all LGBTQ+ youth stated they were persistently sad and hopeless as of 2021. This was compared to 35% of heterosexual youth who reported feeling this way....[ read more ]

When children require support for emotional or behavioral problems, working with a therapist can be helpful. Therapists can help children to resolve emotional problems, develop coping skills, and express their feelings. While most people probably imagine traditional talk therapy methods, in which a therapist and client sit in an office and have a conversation, there are other methods of therapy. ...[ read more ]

Most therapists are well-trained in the treatment of trauma, but what might be lacking is an appreciation of the need for cultural sensitivity in trauma therapy. Certainly, trained therapists value cultural competence, but it is not always simple to put this concept into practice when treating trauma. After all, trauma is complex, and we spend much of our time learning...[ read more ]

What is DMT? Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is defined by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) as the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual, for the purpose of improving health and well-being.  Created in the 1940s, DMT is a holistic approach to healing based on the empirically supported assertion that mind, body,...[ read more ]

The negative effects of childhood trauma can last into adulthood. After all, the ACE Study, which has explored the impact of negative childhood experiences, such as not having enough to eat, being exposed to parental substance abuse, or being a victim of traumas like physical and sexual abuse, has shown that adults who have a history of these negative events...[ read more ]