I am certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), an evidence-based therapeutic intervention designed to help children/adolescents and their parents overcome the impact of traumatic events.  It is designed to help with traumas related to sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic and community violence, unexpected death of a loved one, natural disasters and war.  The focus of treatment is to assist the child or adolescent to develop coping strategies for traumatic stress reactions in order to reduce symptoms of depression, anxiety, or acting out behavior which are common in children exposed to trauma.  TF-CBT has shown to be effective in treating children from 3 to 18 years of age by reducing their symptoms of post-traumatic stress. The treatment typically lasts between 12 to 16 sessions. These sessions include: Individual sessions for child or adolescent, individual sessions for parents/caregivers and conjoint sessions between parent/caregiver and the child or adolescent.

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My training and certification in TF-CBT comes from the Missouri Academy of Child Trauma Studies (MoACTS), the training arm of Children's Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.  MoACTS trains child-serving clinicians and professionals throughout the state of Missouri and the Midwest Region.

 

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy utilizes gradual exposure and sequentially progresses through the stages of the "P.R.A.C.T.I.C.E. Model" as described below:

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P.  Psychoeducation and Parenting skills

R.  Relaxation skills

A.  Affect regulation and modulation

C.  Cognitive Coping

T.  Trauma narration

I.   In vivo mastery of trauma triggers

C.  Conjoint parent and child sessions

E.  Enhancing safety and future development

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