When a child experiences something frightening, overwhelming, or traumatic, the effects may not always be immediately obvious. Trauma can influence how young people understand themselves and the world around them, how they respond to stress, how they behave at home or school, and how they connect with the people they trust.
A child or teen may become anxious, withdrawn, irritable, unusually watchful, or easily overwhelmed. They may have difficulty sleeping or concentrating, experience nightmares or unwanted memories, avoid certain people or places, or struggle to explain what they are feeling.
And sometimes, caregivers aren’t sure what they’re seeing.
You may notice that your child seems “different” but aren’t sure whether what you’re seeing is a normal response to a difficult experience, something that will pass with time, or something that needs additional support.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment designed to help children and adolescents recover from the emotional and behavioral effects of trauma while strengthening the support and skills available to them at home.
At Monica Kristen Therapy, TF-CBT therapy is provided in a compassionate, developmentally appropriate way that recognizes both the young person’s individual experience and the important role caregivers play in healing.
TF-CBT therapy is a structured, trauma-informed therapy approach that combines cognitive behavioral strategies with interventions specifically designed to address the effects of trauma.
Rather than expecting a child to simply “move on” from a traumatic experience, TF-CBT therapy helps young people understand what happened, recognize how the experience may be affecting how they think and behave, and develop healthier ways of responding to difficult thoughts, feelings, and reminders. These changes will influence improvements in the way they see themselves and the world.
Treatment with Monica Kristen Therapy can help adolescents and teens:
Treatment is adapted to the child’s age, developmental level, personality, strengths, culture, family system, and individual circumstances.
TF-CBT may be appropriate for children and adolescents who have experienced or been affected by traumatic or overwhelming experiences, including:
A child does not have to be experiencing every possible trauma symptom to benefit from support.
Sometimes the signs are subtle. A young person may be functioning relatively well in some areas while struggling significantly in others.
An initial clinical assessment can help determine whether TF-CBT therapy or another therapeutic approach may be the best fit.
Adolescents and teens do not always have the words to explain what they are experiencing.
Instead, trauma may show up through changes in behavior, relationships, emotions, or functioning.
You might notice:
Anxiety, sadness, irritability, anger, fear, emotional numbness, or frequent mood changes.
Withdrawal, avoidance, increased conflict, changes in routines, risk-taking, or behaviors that seem out of character.
Difficulty sleeping, nightmares, stomachaches, headaches, feeling constantly “on edge,” or becoming easily overwhelmed.
Problems concentrating, declining academic performance, difficulty attending school, or changes in relationships with peers or teachers.
Difficulty trusting others, increased sensitivity to rejection, conflict with caregivers, or withdrawing from people they previously felt close to.
Self-blame, guilt, shame, negative beliefs about themselves or others, or a sense that the world is no longer safe.
These responses may be perceived as “misbehavior” by caring adults.
However, it could be that your child’s nervous system is overwhelmed with trying to remain safe in a “dangerous” world.
TF-CBT therapy generally begins with safety, stabilization, and skill-building.
Before asking a young person to work through difficult memories, therapy focuses on helping them develop tools they can use to manage distress.
Depending on the child’s needs and treatment goals, therapy may include:
Psychoeducation
Learning about trauma and understanding why certain thoughts, feelings, and reactions may be occurring. This also involved normailizing that trauma responses are a healthy response to perceived danger.
Coping Skills
Developing practical strategies for managing stress and difficult emotions.
Emotion Regulation
Learning to recognize emotions and respond to them in healthier, more manageable ways.
Cognitive Skills
Exploring connections between thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and developing more balanced ways of thinking.
Trauma Exposure and Processing
When the child has developed sufficient coping and stabilization skills, therapy will gradually address the traumatic experience through art and writing.
Caregiver Involvement
Caregivers are asked to meet separately with the clinician to begin their own work on acceptance of what happened early on. This could involve helping caregivers understand trauma responses, reinforce coping skills, communicate effectively, and support their child’s recovery without their own emotions becoming too overwhelming.
The process is gradual and collaborative. Therapy does not mean that a child is expected to immediately recount every detail of what happened. The TF-CBT Therapy process is meant to honor each child’s individual needs and progress, and the clinician will only move onto the next phase when the child is equipped with the proper tools.
One of the strengths of TF-CBT is that it recognizes that children heal within relationships.
Caregivers can play an important role in helping a child feel safe, understand their reactions, practice new skills, and rebuild trust. Watching a child struggle with trauma can be very difficult on the caregiver, and TF-CBT can help caregivers address their own emotional reactions so they can have a parallel healing process along with their child.
Caregiver involvement may include learning:
Caregivers are not expected to have all the answers.
Therapy can also provide a space for caregivers to better understand what their child is experiencing and develop confidence in how to respond.
Caregivers may also find their individual sessions as a place they may:
Visit the page on TF-CBT for Caregivers to learn more about the benefits of TF-CBT.
Healing does not necessarily mean that a child will never feel anxious, sad, angry, or reminded of what happened.
Progress may look more like:
Every child progresses differently.
The goal is not to erase the past. It is to help the young person develop the understanding, skills, and support needed to move forward.
If your child or teen has experienced trauma and you are noticing changes in their emotions, behavior, relationships, sleep, school functioning, or overall wellbeing, it may be worth exploring whether therapy could help.
An initial conversation can provide an opportunity to discuss what you’ve noticed, learn more about the therapy process, and determine whether TF-CBT, or another approach, may be appropriate.
Reaching out for help is a powerful first step in emotional recovery. Contact us today to learn how we can assist you in your journey.
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