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Dynamic Solutions for Change. Attachment Focused Family Therapy Approaches to Supporting Children Experiencing Developmental Trauma & Learning Disabilities. Mikenda Plant DAFT Conference May 2014 . www.chrysalisassociates.org. Aims .
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Dynamic Solutions for Change Attachment Focused Family Therapy Approaches to Supporting Children Experiencing Developmental Trauma & Learning Disabilities Mikenda Plant DAFT Conference May 2014 www.chrysalisassociates.org
Aims • To think about how developmental trauma, separation and loss can impact long term on the learning abilities of children in care and children who have been adopted. • To think about what ‘executive functioning’ means and how Attachment Focussed Family Therapy can be used to help support the development of children’s learning abilities. • To explore how parents and carers can be supported therapeutically to facilitate effective learning environments for their children.
Outline • Introductory exercise • Theory • Videos • adoptive parents' experience of therapeutic parenting sessions • use of Theraplay based work in family sessions • adoptive parents' experiences of using social story ideas in family sessions • Questions and feedback
What Is Developmental Trauma? • Physical and emotional responses of a child to life threatening events • To self or significant other • Loss of coping capacity • Feelings of terror, powerlessness, and out-of-control physiological arousal • Complex trauma – multiple traumatic events
Impact of Developmental Trauma • Interpersonal interactions • Self esteem • Impulse control • Emotion • Conscience development • Cognitive problems • Developmental problems
Impact of Trauma on the Developing Brain • Brain stem - over-developed ‘flight or fright’ response • Pre-frontal cortex - under developed executive functioning
Behaviour Rating of Executive Functioning (BRIEF) • Behaviour inhibition • The ability to shift • Emotional control • To initiate tasks • Working memory • Plan • Organise oneself and one’s materials • Self-monitor
Attachment Focused Family Therapy • Combination of therapeutic approaches: • Attachment Focused Family Therapy • Theraplay based work • Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Theraplay Key elements: • Interactive & Relationship Based • Direct Here and Now Experience • Guided by the Adult • Responsive, Attuned, Empathic & Reflective • Preverbal/Social/Right Brain Level • Multi-sensory including Touch • Playful
Role of Therapist • Active • Intersubjective therapeutic stance • Co-creation of meaning & coregulation of affect