Resources

The Great Disconnect by David Brown As a professional clinician, I have been ruminating on the possibility that as therapists and other forms of helpers, we often deny our own embedded emotional pain, trauma, shame and vulnerability.  I think we often will use our professional role as a basis for deciding that our best course of action is to keep burying that pain because if we allowed others access to it, they might think less of us or view us …

“Get away from me!” screamed Tommy. Joan, his foster mother, teared up.  These outbursts were becoming more frequent and no matter how much she tried to draw close to 11-year-old Tommy, he would consistently push her away.  She was at a loss as to how to help him.  Every attempt to affirm, hug and encourage him seemed to only draw further aggression and avoidance. For many kids like Tommy who have a history of complex trauma, this behaviour is not …

This article shares insights into how to ground traumatized children in consistency and predictability of support in order to create a healing context of safety.

In this 8 minute video, Dr. Karyn Purvis explains the importance of attachment and the difficulties presented for children that come from maltreated backgrounds.  “All Children need to know that they’re precious and unique and special.  But, a child that comes from a hard place needs to know it more desperately”.

It is important to note that all attachment is relational and interactive –that a child will have a different attachment relationship with each of his or her main caregivers. Attachment isn’t something that is just about the child. It is always about a particular relationship. So any child might learn more than one attachment style, although this will be most influenced by the parent(s) or caregiver(s) who are the ones most available when the child is an infant and toddler. Theoretically, a child can be securely attached to one caregiver and avoidant in their attachment to another.