Over the past decade, research into ACEs has shown that childhood trauma is far more pervasive than previously believed. In many cases, classroom staff may know nothing of a child’s past trauma or why a past experience was difficult for a child to process. We do know that overwhelming stress has a profound short- and
Savannah Sanfield trained clinically to work with children but felt so disheartened with the system she found herself in once qualified she focused on working with adults. It wasn’t until she became a parent needing practical tools and support herself that she discovered an approach that helped not only her family but in her clinical work too.
How does a therapist use play to reach kids and help them recover from trauma? They ask them to lead it. At least, that’s what happens when a therapist—or anyone working towards a trauma-informed environment around kids—is using the Hand in Hand approach. We call the play tool “Playlistening.” To do it, the therapist allocates
Listening Tools in Therapy Jack arrived at 36 weeks, having experienced a foetal distress that sent his system into survival mode. Doctors, acting fast, used vigorous suctioning in a stressful birth and it was soon discovered that Jack had respiratory issues that required a week’s stay in the NICU. There he was jaundiced and had difficulty feeding. For much of