RESTORING SAFETY: AN ATTACHMENT‐BASED APPROACH TO CLINICAL WORK WITH A TRAUMATIZED TODDLER. Issue 1 (30th December 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ribaudo, Julie
• Is Part Of: Infant mental health journal. Volume 37:Issue 1(2016:Jan./Feb.)
• Page Start: 80
• Page End: 92
• Publication Date: 2015-12-30
• Subjects: infant–parent psychotherapy -- infant maltreatment -- toddler separation and loss -- infant mental health -- young child psychotherapy -- sicoterapia infante‐progenitor -- maltrato infantil -- separación y pérdida del pequeño infante -- salud mental infantil -- sicoterapia de niños pequeños -- psychothérapie bébé‐parent -- maltraitance du bébé -- séparation et perte chez le petit enfant -- santé mentale du nourrisson -- psychothérapie du jeune enfant -- Säuglings‐Eltern‐Psychotherapie -- Misshandlung von Säuglingen -- Trennung und Verlust bei Kleinkindern -- mentale Gesundheit von Säuglingen -- Psychotherapie bei Kleinkindern -- 乳児–親心理療法 -- 乳児虐待 -- 幼児の分離と喪失 -- 乳児メンタルヘルス -- 幼い子どもの心理療法 -- 嬰兒與父母的心理治療 -- 虐待嬰兒 -- 幼兒分離和損失 -- 幼兒心理健康 -- 幼兒心理治療; Infant psychiatry -- Periodicals; Infant psychology -- Periodicals; 618.9289
• DOI: 10.1002/imhj.21549
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0163-9641

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This clinical case study explores the integration of infancy research, brain development, attachment theory, and models of infant–parent/child–parent psychotherapy to address the needs of abused and neglected young children placed in foster or adoptive homes. Traumatized children employ defensive strategies to survive when there is no "good enough" caregiver (D.W. Winnicott, 1953, p. 94), and helping professionals can provide therapeutic experiences to develop or restore a child's sense of safety. With the case example of Anthony and his foster/adoptive parents, I illustrate how to manage and contain a traumatized child's terror, rage, and grief through therapeutic sessions with the parent and child together, and supportive parental guidance. I promote attention to the child's ability to self‐integrate and to regulate his own affect, and encourages secure‐base parental responses that facilitate a child's shift toward secure attachment behavior.