Category Archives: Trauma

Attachment in schools who are managing students with complex needs

One of the challenges when working with children who have complex needs is ensuring that education authorities address their care and management requirements with understanding and sensitivity. Too often, the primary focus of education authorities is behavioural control and an over-reliance on … Continue reading

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Attached to the Unattached

John was a superficially charming fourteen-year-old lad with bright red hair and a ready smile. I met John soon after I began my first appointment as a Clinical Psychologist. John was a Ward of the State. He was referred to … Continue reading

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Who is my audience?

A Short Introduction to Attachment and Attachment Disorder began its life as a notes I wrote for a lecture I gave in 1999. The topic of the lecture was Assessing Attachment and the audience was Masters Degree students in the Clinical … Continue reading

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Attachment therapy for children who have experienced family trauma

I am frequently asked by other professionals about what I do and what to do when referred a child who has experienced family trauma. What follows is a brief description of my work with these children. It is written with … Continue reading

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A tale of four children and their trip to the adventure playground: A resilience story

This following story represents an allegory for the approach to promoting resilience in children as found in the prologue to: Pearce, C. A Short Introduction to Promoting Resilience in Children. London: Jessica Kingsley, 2011 Once upon a time there were … Continue reading

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Adoption, Attachment, Children's Behaviour, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting, Resilience, Trauma, trauma informed, trauma informed care, trauma informed practice, Trauma Informed Schools, Wellbeing | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

A Tale of Three Mice: An Attachment Story

Once upon a time there were three mice. The first mouse lived in a house that contained, along with furniture and other household goods and possessions, a lever and a hole in the wall from which food was delivered. Each … Continue reading

Posted in AAA Caregiving, Adoption, Attachment, Fostering, kinship care, Parenting, Trauma, trauma informed, trauma informed care, trauma informed practice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Taming Tantrums; Managing Meltdowns: Part Two

In Part One of this series, I refer to the fact that the management of severe tantrums and meltdowns in children is an arousal management issue, rather than a behaviour management issue. In this second part of the series, I … Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Attachment, Children's Behaviour, Favourites, Fostering, Parenting, Resilience, Therapy, Trauma, Wellbeing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Taming Tantrums; Managing Meltdowns: Part One

In my practice one of the more common presenting problems is severe tantrums, or meltdowns, in children. Common reactions among adults who care for these children include frustration, embarrassment, desperation and helplessness. Typically, these otherwise competent parents have tried a … Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Attachment, Children's Behaviour, Favourites, Fostering, Parenting, Resilience, Therapy, Trauma, Wellbeing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Survive the School Holidays

Stress is a major cause of demanding and unsettled behaviour in children. Under stress, the brains of children are hard-wired to set off behaviours associated with the fight-flight-freeze response: Fight:     Controlling, aggressive, destructive and demanding behaviour, hyperactivity Flight:    Running off, … Continue reading

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How parental expectations influence emotional involvement with our children

I am the father of three boys. I am also a Clinical Psychologist with more than sixteen years experience in child and family psychology. I have conducted more than 1000 assessments of children and their parents in child protection and … Continue reading

Posted in Adoption, Attachment, Children's Behaviour, Favourites, Fostering, Parenting, Resilience, Therapy, Trauma, Wellbeing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment