Your child and you will meet with our therapist during the first session to complete introductory paperwork and assessments that will tell us more about your child, giving us a "complete picture".
Our Trauma-informed assessment practices help us identify children’s and families’ needs early in the therapy process and to tailor interventions to meet those needs. This offers a structured framework for (1) gathering information across several key domains of functioning, (2) identifying and addressing the needs of children and families who’ve experienced trauma, and (3) coding and summarizing this information, so that it can be communicated to the caregiver.
Trauma-Informed Mental Health Assessments and Evaluations refers to a process that includes a clinical interview, standardized measures, and/or behavioral observations designed to gather an in-depth understanding of the nature, timing, and severity of the traumatic events, the effects of those events, current trauma-related symptoms, and functional impairment. We will use the assessment to understand your child’s trauma history and symptom profile, to inform case conceptualization, and to drive treatment planning.
These assessments help the therapist target areas of concern for treatment by understanding the function, or role, of the presenting symptoms which are on the "surface", and, more than likely, the reason why you are seeking additional support. By forming a complete analysis, we ensure your child is receiving the most effective intervention.
Childhood comes with it’s own set of struggles, and for young children, it can be quite a confusing process to understand and make sense of their world and the emotions that come with it.
Our trauma-focused therapy sessions help your child regain power and control over past experiences by sensitively assisting your child to re-narrate his/her story. Over time, your child has the opportunity to “process”, or organize, these unique experiences into his/her everyday life, and make meaning of the event(s) and how they relate to your child’s view of him/herself and the world around them while simultaneously supporting their development in the following areas:
-self-esteem
-responsibility
-emotional/behavioral regulation
-emotional intelligence
-relational functioning
-empathy
-social skills
-problem-solving skills
-cognitive processing
You (parent/caregiver) will be asked to participate in some of the sessions in order to add to your child’s sense of support during the therapy process. Your participation and support are a vital component.
Adolescence can be one of the most challenging experiences faced by both teens and their parents. During this time, adolescents are learning to navigate through the enormous physical and emotional changes that are taking place while striving to grow into self-reliable, independent adults. Adolescents often come to therapy because of trouble dealing with their thoughts, emotions, and behavior. Neurological changes in the brain and body impact how adolescents see their own experiences.
Adolescents exposed to a traumatic event feel self-conscious about their emotional responses to the event. Feelings of fear, vulnerability, and concern over being labeled “abnormal” or different from their peers may cause adolescents to withdraw from family and friends. Adolescents often experience feelings of shame and guilt about the traumatic event and may express unhealthy thoughts and uncomfortable feelings. A traumatic event for adolescents may foster a radical shift in the way these children think about the world. Some adolescents may go on to engage in self-destructive or accident-prone behaviors.
Recognizing the nature of trauma and understanding its impact is where the hope lies and where recovery begins. Trauma-focused therapy is built on an understanding that offers safety and compassion. It inspires hope, strength, relief, and enables people to make long-lasting change. If your son or daughter has experienced trauma, your support and care will be critical to his or her recovery. By understanding the elements of predictability, self-control, competence, and meaningful emotional support while working to enhance these in adolescents who have undergone traumatic stress, we can facilitate recovery.
Families are a unique social system with their own structure and forms of communication. When one person in the family is impacted by something, such as trauma, it is likely that all members of the family will feel it in some way. Often, family members have different experiences around the event(s) and different emotional responses to the traumatic event(s). Recognizing each others’ experience and helping each other cope with possible feelings of fear, helplessness, anger, or even guilt in not being able to protect children from a traumatic
experience(s), is an important component of a family’s emotional recovery.
Family Therapy is designed for family members to attend together. Sometimes one person’s problems are a result of the way the entire family is functioning. Working together as a family in counseling can help each individual family member. Issues may be tied to communication, parenting, or recent changes in the family system or a variety of other circumstances. The family system will be looked at to identify the problematic areas in an effort to improve the functioning of the family system as a whole.
While specializing in Children's Mental Health Therapy San Antonio, we have been able to offer many families new hope. Healing Minds can help your family heal.