Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

In The Boy Who was Raised as a Dog author Bruce Perry demonstrates how understanding the brain’s inner workings and development can help bring traumatized children from heartbreak to hope, while always balancing that hope with caution. In his book Perry illustrates how empathy is vital to healthy child development. There has been a decrease in the amount of healthy adults involved in a child’s life than in decades before. Families are smaller, teacher to pupil ratio has increased, and so the number of human-to-human interactions where children are being taught and nurtured has suffered. If you are an adult who is involved with children in your daily life, parent, teacher, law enforcement, etc., and you know that a child has been exposed to something that is potentially traumatic the first thing you should be aware of is that not all traumatic events automatically lead to disastrous mental health outcomes. In fact the majority do well, but for these successful outcomes they do need your attention, support, and awareness. What makes children get better following a trauma is connection with other human beings. Connections to people who are kind, patient, present, but not necessarily psychologically insightful, is at the core of a successful therapeutic relationship.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a psychotherapeutic approach that involves conjoint therapy sessions of with the child and the parent. This approach is employed among children and/or adolescents that are experiencing emotional and behavioral difficulties that are significant and related to life events that are traumatic (Cohen, Mannarino, & Deblinger, 2012). TF-CBT is a components-based model of treatment that includes intervention that are trauma-sensitive and cognitive behavioral, family and humanistic therapy

TF-CBT is an evidence based practice that has evolved in the past 25 years and has been extensively researched within the treatment of PTSD and trauma effects such as depression, distress, anxiety, and cognitive and behavioral problems. This paper will contain a detailed description of the methodology of TF-CBT and an examination of a few peer reviewed studies, which tests the effectiveness TF-CBT has on children and adolescents who suffer from PTSD, neglect, or other trauma impacts.

This discussion is a review of the Cognitive Behavior Intervention for Trauma in Schools program also known as CBITS. This discussion will include an overview of the program and descriptions of components that are included within the program. The program has been introduced into two other programs that are specifically for children that have experienced trauma and how the program effected children who have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. The implementation and effectiveness of this program and its transportability will be discussed. Cost Effectiveness and the quality of care that is received by the clients will also be evaluated. The program will also be reviewed for factors that will influence a provider’s decision to utilize the program and possible institutional obstacles and possible future opportunities will also be discussed.

“With effective treatment, children can recover from sexual abuse and other traumas. In TF-CBT, one key to recovery is encouraging children to open up and talk freely about their trauma (Getz, 2012).” First trauma-Focused cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is an evidence based treatment is a model designed to assist children and their families in overcoming the negative effects of traumatic experience. There are many types of trauma events such as child abuse, domestic violence, rape violent and community violence and etc. I will be discussing three main section which are: Facing trauma, Evidence based treatment and what differentiates TF-CBT.

TF-CBT has years of proven success when dealing with trauma through empirically supported research (both test and retest) and clinical studies (Kauffman, 2004, 9). The National Advisory Committee included clinical treatment providers, nationally recognized researchers, various project advisors, consultants and well established service providers to assist in evaluating the TF-CBT assessment protocol (Kauffman, 2004, p. 6).

The one theory that I used on my client was the trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). This is the actual intervention that I used with my client since during each week my fieldwork supervisor checks on my cases. My fieldwork supervisor and I went over his case together during supervision and we both collaborated with the intervention practice I was going to use during the sessions. Using cognitive behavioral theory was the most logical to us since it is evidence based treatment approach that can be customized with children that are victims of any form of trauma. According to Cohen (2008), TF-CBT is flexible and provides stress management skills before discussion of the traumatic experiences (p. 1). The steps I used were very

This treatment modality has proven effective with reducing symptoms related to PTSD, anxiety, depression, sexual behaviors problems, and shame in different random control trial (Simonich et al., 2015). TF-CBT is an adaptable model that can be used to treat a wide-range of trauma and developmental levels (Simonich et al., 2015). When aftercare follow-up was conducted there is supported evidence that participants continue to thrive 6 months, one year, and two years post-treatment (Murray et al., 2013).

However, this model is missing a few components important to trauma counseling. TF-CBT is effective for clients with PTSD, depression, and behavioral problems known to the client’s family. However, if a client’s family is not aware of his/her child’s traumatic issue or importance is not on the child’s overall well-being, providing this type of counseling poses challenges for the counselor. Informing the client’s parent of a child’s trauma must coincide with legal and ethical responsibilities of a mandated reporter. Realizing members of the family will likely have different emotional responses to this discovery is important for professionals to keep in mind. Allowing the family to express emotions in a safe environment aids in catharsis however, if a family member monopolizes the session, the child can experience increased feelings of inadequacy and lack of control. Providing parents with counseling resources to see his/her own counselor through this difficult time should incorporate appropriate processing of each individual’s emotions in a private and safe

To correct maladaptive or unhelpful beliefs and attributions related to the traumatic experience (e.g., a belief that the Sarah is responsible for the abuse),

When young children experience trauma the aftermath is far greater than when an adult experiences trauma. With their brain still developing these traumatic events have a huge impact in reducing their brain cortex. This ultimately can affect many complex functions, such as memory, attention, perceptual awareness, thinking, language, and consciousness. These changes may also affect their IQ and the ability to regulate emotions, making the child fearful and may not feel as safe or as protected. When their parent or caregiver is the one causing these experiences the child will often become stressed and their ability to communicate effectively will decline. Researchers have come up with two main coping skills. They are hyper-arousal continuum (fight,

Posttraumatic stress disorder is becoming an ever-growing topic off concern within the childhood and young adolescent community, this topic is brought up in multiple settings including school, child protective services, and the foster care system. PTSD in our youth can happen through numerous ways and does not always occur from physical or sexual abuse, it can occur through natural disasters or even community dysfunction however the effects from the trauma suffered can last a lifetime. “The most basic definition of Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric sequel to a stressful event or situation of an exceptionally threatening or catastrophic in nature.” (Kassam-Adams, & Winston, 2004, p.409). In the event that a client suffers

Almost weekly, we are faced hear of a large-scale crisis, as well as a low scale. The impact that these traumatic events are having on children cannot be ignored. It is becoming apparent of the ongoing need of addressing crises, trauma, and the effects on children. The need for crisis intervention services; especially for children is necessary. However, not every child who has experienced trauma needs a trauma-focused treatment. As such there are some traumatic experiences that indicate the need for an immediate referral (Myer, Peterson, & Willow 2002). For the counselor, it is important to understand the meaning of the event for the child and from there to develop and intervention plan with the goal of helping

Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) was developed by psychologists J.A. Cohen and, Mannarino, Knudset and Sharon. TF-CBT has been developed for those who have experienced psychological trauma, often on a great scale of magnitude. It is important to define trauma; “There are two types of trauma — physical and mental........A response could be fear. It could be fear that a loved one will be hurt or killed. It is believed that more direct exposures to traumatic events causes greater harm. For instance, in a school

Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy was developed to help children and their caregivers overcome the negative effects of traumatic life events such as the sudden and unexpected loss of a loved one, bullying and avoidant personality. Alan Turing was repeatedly bullied in school. He also lost a significant figure in his life. Both circumstances have detrimental effects and can cause anguish and avoidance. TF-CBT can help ease anxiety, fears, stress, and other emotions associated with trauma. Bullying has been correlated with poor self-image, depression, and suicide. Through TF-CBT these issues would have be addressed by educating the child to understand their feelings in relation to their circumstances, and how those