Tag Archives: trauma informed practice

Why does my child react so badly to me saying “no”?

In this video, I explain why children recovering from developmental trauma, in particular, react so extremely the word “no”, and suggest some ways to respond therapeutically to this. The video is intended to be of most interest to those who … Continue reading

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What is Trauma Informed Practice? The CARE Curriculum

In this video, I lay out the key reflections embedded the CARE Curriculum, which are integral to facilitating an outcome where our children and young people experiences themselves as worthy and capable, others as responsive and trustworthy, and their world … Continue reading

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Theory of Accessibility to Needs Provision

Below is a statement that reflects the third ‘A’ in the Triple-A Model – Accessibility (to needs provision). It captures my thoughts and my response when I am talking to caregivers about their experience of the behaviour of a child … Continue reading

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Child Psychotherapy: An update about my approach

I am frequently asked about my approach to psychotherapy with children and young people. In this blog I reproduce an explanation for parents and caregivers that appears on the Secure Start website. Psychology is a broad term that covers the … Continue reading

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Our own response to the pandemic reflects the experience of maltreated children

Uncertainty, including in relation to our health and the health of our loved ones, our access to basic needs, and what the future holds, is anxiety-evoking. It can leave us preoccupied with accessing basic needs and lead us to behave in ways that increase our chances of being able to achieve needs provision, and feel safe. Uncertainty, coupled with the media coverage of the pandemic, can leave us experiencing ourselves as inadequate, others as threatening and dangerous, and the world as unsafe. The current uncertainty, and its psychological impacts on us, provides an insight into what life is like for children and young people who are recovering from a tough start to life.
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A little extra emotional connectedness

Emotional connectedness is a by-product of interaction. When you are interacting with a person you are likely to feel an ‘echo’ of their emotion. This is a form of empathy that is instinctive and, with few exceptions, we all have … Continue reading

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A little extra CARE

Children recovering from early adversity, including trauma and other adverse events, need a little extra CARE from adults who interact with them in a care and management role. I have provided, below, a little infographic to highlight where to focus … Continue reading

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Kinship CARE

Kinship CARE is a comprehensive training package for trauma-informed care and practice among kinship carers and professionals who support them. Kinship CARE is tailored to the experience and training needs of kinship carers. Kinship CARE recognises that, for kinship carers, … Continue reading

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What is ‘good’ parenting and caregiving?

With the uptake of strengths-based approaches to child welfare practice in Australia and related child protection jurisdictions in Europe and North America, it is timely to consider what is ‘good’ parenting and caregiving. In this article I briefly introduce a … Continue reading

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Working with At-Risk Families: The Importance of Regulating Shame

In The Zahir, author Paulo Coelho tells the story of two firefighters who take a break from fighting a forest fire by a stream. The face of one of the firefighters is dirty and sooty. The face of the other … Continue reading

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