As a child trauma specialist, I work with children all day long. In this article, written by Katie Ziskind, LMFT, RYT500, you’ll get an inside look on how Wisdom Within Counseling helps children. And, when you are looking for the best treatment for PTSD in children, look no further. At Wisdom Within Counseling in Niantic, Connecticut, holistic therapists specialize in helping anxious children overcome frustration and learn positive coping skills.
What does trauma look like in a child?
To start, first and foremost childhood trauma impacts a whole family. So, when your child is a victim of trauma, it takes a professional trauma specialist to work with both parents and children. So, the best treatment for PTSD in children will include child sessions and parent sessions. In some Niantic child therapy sessions for trauma, play therapy alongside art therapy is supportive. At other times, parent-only therapy sessions will help you and your child’s therapist meet. Further, these parent sessions within child therapy give your child’s therapist background about your child’s traumatic journey. At Wisdom Within Counseling in Niantic, Connecticut, the team and owner, Katie Ziskind, LMFT, RYT500 specializes with trauma.
What are normal childhood trauma responses?
So, when your child has been through trauma, trouble sleeping, fidgeting, trouble concentrating, flashbacks, nightmares, irritation, and frequent crying are normal responses. To add, the best treatment for PTSD in children includes mind, body, and spirit connection. At Wisdom Within Counseling in Niantic, Connecticut, children experience yoga, art, music, animals, and outdoor therapies to heal from trauma. And, children with a trauma history simply need to feel safe, secure, and have a trusting relationship with their therapist. Through mind-body relaxation, we specialize in holistic, creative treatment for PTSD in children.
What are some symptoms after a teenager has experienced trauma?
For teenagers who are holding onto a childhood trauma secret, trouble sleeping is a symptom of trauma too. Further, teens with childhood trauma often end up in dysfunctional romantic relationships as adults with major trust issues. Teens who have been through trauma often excessively drink alcohol, self-harm, use drugs, show reckless dating, partying, and extreme impulsivity. Lastly, when looking for the best treatment for PTSD in children or teenagers, look holistically. To note, medication may take the edge off. But, the best best treatment for PTSD in children is based in positive coping skills to help promote self-esteem growth. At Wisdom Within Counseling in Niantic, Connecticut, we offer more than just talk counseling for creative children with a tough past.
What do we teach at Wisdom Within Counseling in Niantic, Connecticut as trauma specialists?
In child therapy in Niantic, especially around trauma and PTSD, your child will learn how to relax. Moreover, the skill of relaxation will allow your child to self-soothe, calm, and feel peaceful support. Often, after trauma, hyper-vigilance occurs. So, best treatment for PTSD in children includes mind-body relaxation and calming skills. Further, mindfulness meditations for children not only teach relaxation, but also healthy coping skills. To note, positive coping skills allow children with PTSD to handle their anxieties in healthy ways.
More on the best treatment for PTSD in children
What are some ways we offer effective, creative, and holistic treatment for PTSD in children?
From art therapy in Niantic, your child can express and paint out their feelings. Or, your child can feel strong and present by throwing the frisbee outside in the sun. Form mindfulness relaxation skills, childhood trauma can transition from a scary huge event, to just a part of the past. And, without an expert childhood trauma therapy in the team ASAP, your child may become more aggressive or withdraw more out of a fear response. To learn more about looking for the best treatment for PTSD in children, call 860-451-9364. And, we will get you scheduled with a phone consultation.
What is wrong with cognitive behavior therapy for children?
First, cognitive behavior therapy is meant for adults. In short, it is not best treatment for PTSD in children. To note, the CBT model for therapy helps adults breakdown the cycle of anxiety. For example, an adult may be able to develop self-awareness and connect with their many thoughts. And, an adult can think about how their behaviors impact their feelings. Further, cognitive behavior therapy is all talk counseling. However, because it is talking only, this alone makes it not developmentally appropriate for children. As a child therapist and child expert in Niantic, Connecticut, cognitive behavior therapy, especially trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy is re-victimizing for a child. So, the best treatment for PTSD in children allows fro play therapy, imaginative creativity, and self-confidence skills.
Why doesn’t short term therapy work for trauma in childhood?
To note, your child’s emotions didn’t just occur in the past six weeks. So, it will be unrealistic to think that your child will be cured of trauma symptoms within six weeks. And, trauma focused CBT is a brief model, so child therapy is to end within just a few weeks of starting. Instead, at Wisdom Within Counseling, we are a team of child therapists that love building, long-term meaningful relationships!
What is the best treatment for PTSD in children in Southeastern Connecticut?
And, when looking for the best treatment for PTSD in children, a trusting, long-term relationship with an adult outside of the family is where it all starts. To add, brief treatment models like trauma focused cognitive behavior therapy cause more anger and anxiety for children. In trauma focused CBT, children are asked to talk about the in depth details of their trauma. For one, this is very damaging.
Why doesn’t trauma focused CBT work for children? Notes from a child specialist, Katie Ziskind
For two, asking a traumatized child to talk about something outside of their control, especially from the past, is not developmentally appropriate. As a child specialist in Niantic, Connecticut, I know children can not do talk counseling. So, play therapy and creative therapies allow a traumatized child to feel safe opening up through imaginative play. Also, your child’s brain is not yet developed and their emotional centers won’t be until 20-28 years old. So, for children, adolescents, and teens to be successful in therapy, we offer art, yoga, music, animals, and outdoor sessions. Unfortunately, CBT therapy lowers a child’s self-confidence and also can cause anger outbursts at home.
Where is trauma focused cognitive behavior therapy for children often used?
Unfortunately, many mainstream mental health agencies use trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy for children because it is a brief treatment. At a mental health agency, therapists are often burnt out because they see too many clients. So, therapists don’t last long at the job. To note, some therapists leave their agency jobs to start private practice after two months. And, at mental health agencies, turnover is high for therapists and clients. And, clients at agencies often don’t like being bounced from therapist to therapist when theirs quits.
So, why is trauma focused CBT even recommended?
So, trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy for children is recommended by agencies because there isn’t space for play therapy, or time to build a meaningful relationship with a client. But, trauma focused CBT for children is more damaging emotionally. Unfortunately, trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy actually hurts a child’s self-esteem. Asking a child who has been through trauma to talk it out, like an adult would, causes more anxiety and anger.
What is another thing wrong with trauma focused cognitive behavior therapy for children who have experienced trauma?
Plus, in trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy, the child client is asked to read aloud their entire trauma story to their family. As empowering as this seems, in reality, family members have their own anger, unresolved feelings, are disconnected, and are stressing out. And, with stress and their own feelings, family members can also be involved in your child’s trauma story. Also, as a child expert and child specialist, I do not use trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy with children. Instead, I used child appropriate methods as a trauma specialist in Niantic, Connecticut. And, holistic counseling is the best treatment for PTSD in children. In conclusion, the best treatment for PTSD in children includes creativity and holistic skills because it helps your child feel safe, secure, stronger, and present.
If you are sick of getting calls from your child’s principal, we can help create a plan for better behavior at school and home.
Trauma Counseling For Children In Niantic
Watch the video below to learn more about how Wisdom Within Counseling in Niantic helps traumatized children learn to feel safe and confident in the world again. And, trauma counseling for children in Niantic is a long-term growth process of helping a child who feels afraid and scared learn how to cope. Further, a child with a traumatic memory needs help coping with nightmares and process their thoughts through art, yoga, music, and outdoor walking sessions. And, trauma counseling for children is nurturing, which allows a child to trust their therapist. From this bond, a traumatized child can then develop trusting relationships with friends, family, and siblings in the future.
What is the best treatment for PTSD in children in Niantic, Connecticut?
To say the least, you are frustrated, sad, and upset by what’s happened to your child. They didn’t deserve to go through what they did. And, you are at a place within yourself where you want to do everything that you can to help them. However, you are looking for a childhood trauma specialist when it comes to picking your child’s therapist. And, you want a professional who is experienced, well equipped with techniques you child can learn for soothing, and can confidently help you and your child through this time. Our team of holistic therapists in Niantic at Wisdom Within Counseling are here for you.
What Happens After Trauma?
First, you have a supportive, caring, loving family to help you, as a parent, get through this time. You’ve been making phone calls to relatives seeking support and guidance. And, you’ve found your wise rocks, the people that keep you strong during this time. However, ever since this trauma occurred, you’ve found lingering doubt when it comes to doing the right thing. And, when it comes to supporting your child in the best ways possible, you feel like you have no idea what you’re doing anymore. Further, you have real fears and anxieties that you child won’t have the skills to overcome this event. And, you want your traumatized child to have a good life from this point forwards.
Trauma Counseling For Children: Addressing Odd Behaviors That Have Developed
Even though you know you are a loving parent, you notice that your child has developed odd concerns, obsessions, rituals, and things they “must” do to keep order. Also, your child’s inner light seems dimmed and they don’t seem as cheerful as they used to be. As a parent, you see that our child’s school teachers are not trauma-informed. Now, your child’s teachers are labeling him or her as a “problem” child due to their stress-response behavior changes.
Fine-Tuned Theraputic Support With Trauma Specialists For Children In Niantic
Additionally, you want the same support through therapy for your child. And, you want a therapist who loves working with children with a trauma history. So, you’ve come to the perfect place. Our team of holistic therapists know how to help a traumatized child feel safe. This starts the long-term process of re-building trust. Getting a traumatized child started in therapy today is the best route. Unfortunately, children who go through trauma and don’t get professional care from trauma specialist at the young age often grow into adults who have difficulties trusting in romantic partnerships and marriages. Call/text to get your child started in holistic child therapy to heal from trauma today (860)-451-9364.
Trauma-Informed Child Therapy and School Accommodations
Further, your child’s therapist will gladly work with your child’s school district, principal, and teachers. So, your child’s therapist will create academic accommodations through an IEP or 504 plan with their best interest in mind. And, a letter from your child’s therapist at Wisdom Within Counseling in Niantic can help when redistricting occurs. So, your child can then have a stable school environment. Through therapy in Niantic, children who have been through trauma can learn that the world is actually a safe place. And, they can learn how to speak up to feel heard in the world. Lastly, trauma counseling for children supports them where they are, so they can grow, heal, and feel strong again.
How We Can Help Here In Niantic When It Comes To Childhood Trauma
First, your child’s therapist will provide a sense of trust, safety, and consistency, which helps in trauma recovery. Further, when you child experienced a trauma event, their everyday security was threatened. Therefore, the first step in teaching positive emotional expression skills is to re-build trust, attachment, and warmth. For instance, divorce that is high conflict can be a trauma for a child. In trauma counseling for children in Niantic, play, puppets, and books help normalize and validate your child’s feelings. Read about four books to help children cope with divorce, here.
Holistic, Creative Trauma Counseling For Children In Niantic
And, your child’s therapist will use play, creative art, yoga, music, and outdoor sessions. And, these holistic techniques help re-build their confidence in the world. Moreover, trauma counseling for children in Niantic doesn’t label good or bad. Instead, trauma counseling for children focuses on helping your child feel safe. And, from feeling secure, loved, nurtured, and bond with their therapists, a child can thrive. At Wisdom Within Counseling in Niantic, trauma counseling for children is holistic. So, your child’s therapist can communicate with their pediatrician, school, and other providers. In conclusion, your child’s therapist in Niantic will help create a plan for their optimal success and healing. Read more about animal therapy in Niantic for children with trauma, here.
Does Your Child Need Safety and Playfulness?
After trauma, children tend to take life very seriously. Often, this is because they have endured an emotionally scaring event. Therefore, your child’s therapist has a trauma-informed perspective. And, this will help your child step into fun-loving energy and playfulness. Further, your child’s therapist will bring him or her into the present moment. And, your child’s therapist will teach positive coping skills. So, your child can use these skills to share when they are having a flashback or when old memory comes up.
In the Media: Mental Health Information
Experts in their field are often asked for quotes for news articles by journalists. Recently, Katie Ziskind, was featured. Read more details about the right time to go for anxiety medication.
What are the benefits of art therapy, yoga, outdoor therapy, and play therapy in Niantic, Connecticut for childhood trauma therapy?
Then, through weekly child therapy sessions in Niantic, your child’s brain will begin to develop new neuro pathways. Further, over time, their fight or flight response will lessen. Likewise, in therapy, child who has been through trauma can learn how to relax in the world again. And, this is the foundation for making lasting friendships, and meaningful connections with others. Call/Text to get your child started in holistic trauma counseling in Niantic (860)-451-9364.
Call/Text (860)-451-9364 to get your child started in holistic trauma counseling specialized for children with PTSD today.
Our Niantic Counseling Location
Wisdom Within Counseling, LLC, Holistic East Lyme Marriage and Family Therapy. 8 West Main St. Niantic, CT 06357. 860- 451-9364. KatieZiskindMft@gmail.com. WisdomWithinCt.com
