. . . . . . EMBRACE - EDUCATE - EMPOWER . . . . . .

Children express themselves through play, and play therapists use the therapeutic powers of connection and play to help clients prevent or resolve psychosocial difficulties. Research has found play therapy to be an effective therapeutic approach for ages 3 to 12 for a variety of children's difficulties, including:

•  ADHD

•  Abuse and neglect

•  Social adjustment issues

•  Sleeping and eating difficulties

• Self-esteem

•  Trauma

•  Grief and loss

•  Chronic illness/hospitalization

•  Physical symptoms without medical cause

•  Bonding and Attachment issues

•  Foster, adoption, and identity issues

•  Prenatal and Birth Trauma

•  Selective mutism

•  Adjusting to family changes such as separation

•  Making friends

•  Excessive anger, fear, sadness, worry, and shyness

•  Aggression and acting out

•  School difficulties

In Play Therapy, Children Learn…

To respect themselves

That their feelings are acceptable

To express their feelings responsibly

To assume responsibility for themselves

To be creative and resourceful in confronting problems

Self-control and self-direction

To accept themselves

To make choices and to be responsible for their own choices

Landreth, G. (2012). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship

"Birds fly, fish swim, and children play."

--Dr. Garry L. Landreth​

For more information about play therapy and whether or not your child could benefit from play therapy, e-mail Laura (our Play Therapist Guru) at laura@kernersvillecounseling.com and visit the 'parents corner' on the Association for Play Therapy website. 

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a research-based cognitive behavioral treatment model developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan to treat clients diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) who are chronically suicidal. DBT also effectively treats other psychological disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, eating disorders, suicidal and self-harm behavior, substance abuse, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). DBT aims to help people create their life worth living by teaching them skills to regulate and manage their emotions. To learn more about DBT, click here. 

DBT Skills Group is an important part of DBT treatment. Group members learn mindfulness, emotion regulation skills, interpersonal skills, distress tolerance skills, and dialectics to help develop a "wise mind." To learn more about DBT Skills Groups offered at KCC, click here.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents impacted by trauma and their parents or caregivers. TF-CBT successfully resolves a broad array of emotional and behavioral difficulties associated with single, multiple and complex trauma experiences. TF-CBT is an evidence-based treatment that has been evaluated and refined during the past 25 years to help children and adolescents recover after trauma. TF-CBT is a structured, short-term treatment model that effectively improves a range of trauma-related outcomes in 8-25 sessions with the child/adolescent and caregiver. Although TF-CBT is highly effective at improving youth post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and diagnosis, a PTSD diagnosis is not required in order to receive this treatment. TF-CBT also effectively addresses many other trauma impacts, including affective (e.g., depressive, anxiety), cognitive and behavioral problems, as well as improving the participating parent’s or caregiver’s personal distress about the child’s traumatic experience, effective parenting skills, and supportive interactions with the child.

 Research now documents that TF-CBT is effective for diverse, multiple and complex trauma experiences, for youth of different developmental levels, and across different cultures.

Source: https://tfcbt.org/

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of therapy that helps people heal from trauma and other distressing life experiences. EMDR therapy is an integrative psychotherapy and an empirically supported treatment for acute and chronic posttraumatic stress disorder. EMDR therapy has helped countless people of all ages to resolve psychological distress.  

Our brains have a natural way of recovering from traumatic memories and events. Some events are so upsetting that the regular communication between different brain areas becomes blocked and cannot be processed without help. This stress response is part of our natural fight, flight or freeze response. When distress from a disturbing event remains, the disturbing images, thoughts, and emotions may be overwhelming. EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories and resumes routine healing. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the actual event is resolved.

EMDR therapy does not require discussing the distressing issue in depth or homework between sessions. EMDR, rather than focusing on changing the emotions, thoughts, or behaviors resulting from the painful problem, allows the brain to resume its natural healing process. EMDR is designed to activate this natural healing process in the brain through alternating eye movements, sounds, or taps. For many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than regular psychotherapy. 

Source: https://www.emdria.org/

Brainspotting is a specialized treatment, backed by research, to help resolve trauma. More information to come.