Summary
Through collaboration with local community organizations, therapists, and family members, TF-CBT developers and trainers have developed practical strategies for applying this evidence-based trauma treatment for youth who continue to experience ongoing traumas and their non-offending parents. These strategies include: (1) focusing early and as needed on an ongoing basis during therapy on enhancing safety for youth and parent that is appropriate to the youth’s developmental, emotional, and situational context; (2) enhancing engagement strategies for parents who are experiencing ongoing personal trauma exposure; and (3) during the trauma narrative and cognitive processing component including focus on enhancing parental acknowledgment and support of the youth’s ongoing trauma experiences; addressing maladaptive cognitions about these experiences; and differentiating between real danger and trauma reminders. Through the use of these strategies, youth exposed to ongoing traumas and their non-offending parents have experienced significant improvement, indicating TF-CBT a viable practical option for working with complex cases where violence risk is not readily or quickly eliminated.
Acknowledgments
We thank the Women’s Center and Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh, The University of Lusaka and the counselors who participated in these projects. Most importantly we thank the families and children who participated in these projects for their assistance, courage and inspiration.