Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-cbt)

Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy is the top evidence-based practice, and considered the “gold standard treatment,” for post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents. This therapy is a conjoint treatment that provides coping skills to both the parent and child when the child or adolescent is experiencing significant emotional and behavioral difficulty following a traumatic event.

Common forms of trauma experienced in childhood or adolescence include:

• Accidents

• Emotional abuse or neglect

• Physical abuse or neglect

• Divorce

• Chaos or dysfunction in the home

• Death / Loss

• Separation / Abandonment

• Medical illness or event

• Sexual abuse

• Bullying / Cyberbullying

• Stress caused by poverty

TF-CBT is a structured, short-term form of treatment which is typically completed in 8-20 sessions of therapy. This model of treatment has been studied for over 25 years, and it has shown to be highly effective in healing emotional and behavioral symptoms in youth who have experienced single, multiple, and complex trauma events.

This model of treatment involves several modules or phases of treatment including psychoeducation about trauma, relaxation skills, emotion/affective regulation skills, thought management skills, and the completion of a trauma narrative.

Should the child or teen require more structured discipline or boundaries to further manage negative behaviors, an individualized behavioral shaping plan is developed and implemented on a collaborative basis with child, parent, and school system to further support and reinforce the change process.

CLICK HERE to learn more about the effectiveness of Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.