1st Edition

Trauma-Informed Practices With Children and Adolescents

By William Steele, Cathy A. Malchiodi Copyright 2012
    280 Pages
    by Routledge

    280 Pages
    by Routledge

    Trauma-Informed Practices With Children and Adolescents is a sourcebook of practical approaches to working with children and adolescents that synthesizes research from leading trauma specialists and translates it into easy-to-implement techniques. The approaches laid out address the sensory and somatic experiences of trauma within structured formats that meet the "best practices" criteria for trauma-informed care: safety, self-regulation, trauma integration, healthy relationships, and healthy environments. Each chapter contains short excerpts, case examples, and commentary relevant to the chapter topic from recognized leaders in the field of trauma intervention with children and adolescents. In addition to this, readers will find chapters filled with easily applied activities, methods, and approaches to assessment, self-regulation, trauma integration, and resilience-building. The book's structured yet comprehensive approach provides professionals with the resources they need to help trauma victims not just survive but thrive and move from victim thinking to survivor thinking using the current best practices in the field.

    Introduction. What is Trauma-Informed Practice? Trauma-Informed Clinical and Standardized Assessments. Trauma Informed Art and Play-based Assessments. Trauma-Informed Environments. Establishing Safety Through Self-regulation. Trauma-Informed Relationships. Trauma-Informed Practices with Groups. Enhancing Resilience. Trauma Integration: From Survivor to Thriver. Resources.

    Biography

    William Steele

    "Trauma-Informed Practices With Children and Adolescents deepens clinicians’ understanding of the effects of trauma on children and adolescents. It effectively translates the theory into helpful practice strategies, with an emphasis on the use of expressive therapies. Case vignettes and commentaries from noted trauma experts, in addition to the extensive experience of the authors, help make this book an in-depth exploration of helping practices that acknowledge individual resiliency and the possibility of transformative growth after trauma." —Nancy Boyd Webb, DSW, LICSW, RPT-S, distinguished professor of social work emerita at Fordham University

    "Trauma-Informed Practices With Children and Adolescents is an essential resource for any treatment provider committed to using effective assessment and intervention strategies in work with traumatized youth. The wisdom within this work will support the care of many trauma-exposed youths for years to come." —Robert Foltz, PsyD, assistant professor of clinical psychology at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology

    "Now perceived as mainstream, the use of trauma-informed practices with children was pioneered years ago by Steele and Malchiodi. Their new book is a gift for those interested in the history and best practices with children and their families." —Charles R. Figley, PhD, the Paul Henry Kurzweg Distinguished Chair in Disaster Mental Health at Tulane University

    "William Steele and Cathy Malchiodi are seasoned and respected clinicians, trainers, teachers, and researchers in the fields of art therapy and counseling. In Trauma-Informed Practices With Children and Adolescents, they have done a great service to the community of providers who respond to the needs of traumatized children and adolescents in family, agency, school, and community settings. This is an integrated guide to assessment and intervention, one that demonstrates best practices that go beyond cognitive interventions to reach children at a sensory level, helping them to feel more safe, empowered, in control of themselves, and related to others. This book should be used in all mental-health training programs."

    —Susan Gere, PhD, director, division of counseling and psychology, Lesley University

    "This book was really helpful for me in its clarity of purpose, offering many opportunities for fuure study and a reminder to trust my clients and hold hope." - Tracey Richardson, British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy Children & Young People, June 2012

    "This book, a collection of writings by more than 20 professionals of different origin, introduces a particular and authentic therapeutic approach in dealing with traumatized children and adolescents. Breaking the mould and taking interdisciplinarity as a basis, the authors give a profound introduction into the ‘‘holistic’’ experience of trauma in young individuals. …All in all, it took me a bit of time to work through this book, but now I confidently want to recommend its lecture. It may serve not only as a guideline for specialists, but also as a reference book for those who repeatedly come in contact with this complex theme of childhood trauma or alternatively intend to get more specialized in it."
    —Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry (2013)