What if I Had a Behavior Plan?
by: Julie Beem The world is enamored with behavior plans for anyone whose behaviors are “out of line” with society. But do they work? I can’t speak for children with other disabilities, but children who have been traumatized and have attachment challenges just do not respond to traditional behavior modification plans. And frankly, I don’t […]
Ghost Ship
by: Deborah A. Novo I hear you speaking and sense no depth. I hear you repeatedly lying, while looking me dead in the eye, and see you so broken. Lying is your normal and truth is the enemy. It has become more comfortable to control your life by sustaining lies rather than tell the truth. […]
Toolbox Tuesday – Meet WALTER
by: Julie Beem Even after therapeutically parenting for at least 100 years (ok, more like 17), I still love to get a new tool. This tool came to me over the weekend while I was listening in on a Nancy Thomas seminar. Little did I know that I’d have the opportunity to use it within […]
Do You Believe?
by: Gari Lister Have you read the Attachment & Trauma Network‘s belief statement? I hadn’t until I went to the board retreat in January, and since then it has inspired me on a daily basis. It reminds me why ATN is important — why we need to fight for traumatized children and their families — […]
The Amygdala – Stopping Flight or Fight at its Source
by: Craig Peterson What on earth is the amygdala? Most people have no idea. Even less can say it correctly. Let’s start with the pronunciation. Amygdala contains four syllables with the accent on the second one. Just remember to say “ah” three times. ah-MIG-dah-lah Now that I’ve made you look silly, let’s move onto the […]
The Search for a School That Fits
by: Melissa Sadin
Teenager with problemsAs the parent of a child with moderate to severe attachment trauma, I have struggled for years to provide my son with an appropriate educational program. I have worked as a special education teacher and an administrator, so I know the lingo needed to get what I want at an IEP meeting. However, I was startled to discover recently that I wasn’t sure I knew what my son needed. My son always makes it very clear to all involved when something doesn’t work for him. The things that do work, however, are much more subtle and harder to see. My son has never said, “Oh, I like Mrs. Soandso. I feel safe in her class and am able to process language better there so I perform better academically.” The closest we get to that is, “She’s okay, I guess.”
Tuesday Toolbox: “Touching” the Heart of Trauma
by: Jennie Murdock
Mother and DaughterI opened my email andwas reminded of the title for the ATN blog: “Touching the Heart of Trauma”. It struck me that quite literally what we need to do IS “touch” the heart of trauma by touching the body.
Hugging A Stranger on the Plane
by: Julie Beem
No, this isn’t a blog about indiscriminate affection. And no, this is not a mom you will read about in a sensationalized report on “underground adoptive/foster families”. But it happens much more often than most people know.
Does it Work for Me?
by: Gari Lister Parenting an adult child with reactive attachment disorder — especially a young adult — can be challenging, to say the least. My oldest is 23, and we have been through a LOT with her since she became a “legal” adult. We have faced questions like: do we press charges, do we give […]
What a “Secure Base” Looks Like
by: Kathleen Benckendorf ATN is delighted to welcome Kathleen Benckendorf as a guest voice on Touching Trauma at its Heart. Kathleen, a parent and a former member of ATN’s Board of Directors, is a relentless researcher and seeker of answers. An engineer by education and experience, Kathleen has also trained as a bodyworker and in […]