by: Julie Beem
The holidays are a time to focus on what we believe. Do you believe in Santa Claus? Peace on Earth? Practicing Gratitude? Family as The Most Important Thing?
Well, you can believe all of these things and more, yet, if you’re a traumatized child or the family who loves a traumatized child, the holiday season can be SO VERY HARD. The joy of the season is often overshadowed by the grief of loss, the reminder of earlier traumas and the inability to truly connect due to attachment and trauma challenges.
No one knows that better than ATN. For the last 20 years our volunteers, who are all experienced parents and attachment trauma professionals, have lived with and supported others living with early childhood trauma.We know how it makes holiday traditions, festivities and gatherings challenging. If you’re living that, you’re not alone.
But we also believe in Hope…and we’ve seen Healing. The road there is not a simple one and the journey is not quick or easy. But in making the journey.we have come to believe that Hope for Healing is possible.
So, if you believe as we do, that traumatized children do best in loving, supporting families with therapeutic parents…then please help us spread this message.
What the Attachment & Trauma Network Believes
- We believe that traumatized children and those with attachment disorders can heal.
- We believe that parents, who are supported and taught therapeutic parenting, are the best healing agents of their traumatized child.
- We believe that traumatized children need trauma-informed, attachment-focused therapies.
- We believe that providing resources to the families from the start (once a traumatized child has been identified) is the best way to minimize crises and reduce disruptions and potential “rehoming”.
- We believe that ongoing parent-to-parent support is critical in arming the families with strategies, tools and strength to persevere daily.
- We believe that “touching trauma at its heart” is more than a slogan…it’s a healing mission.
If you believe as we do, please give generously at http://www.givetoatn2015.causevox.com/ so we can continue to support, educate and advocate in 2016.