Children in Crisis | SIU Healthy Dose

Written by Lauren Murphy, SIU School of Medicine

SIU School of Medicine’s Children’s Medical and Mental Health Resource Network (CMMHRN) is helping children, teens and their families through a new type of therapy – trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy.

More than 175 children and teens have received trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapy through the Trauma Informed System of Care Learning Collaborative, an effort made possible by a $100,000 donation from The Poshard Foundation and an $80,000 grant from the SIU School of Medicine Rural Health Initiative.

According to CMMHRN clinical director Ginger Meyer, MSW, LCSW, abused children referred to the program, on average, experience more than three different types of trauma, most often sexual and emotional abuse, before receiving help. Nearly two-thirds of these children, ages 3 to 18, experience some form of post-traumatic stress.

The short-term treatment model consists of 8-25 sessions with the child/adolescent and caregiver. The therapy assists youth and parents in learning new skills to help process thoughts and feelings related to traumatic life events; managing and resolving distressing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors related traumatic life events; and enhancing safety, awareness, parenting skills and family communication.

Part of the innovative therapy involves the child creating a “trauma narrative.” A trauma narrative serves as a method for the child to learn to tolerate remembering without significant distress and to arrive at a true and helpful way of understanding what the trauma means in their life so that it can be put in the past.

When children can’t yet find the words to express their trauma, therapists encourage them to draw or paint. “Implementing play therapy and art therapy into their sessions can really amplify the positive effects of the trauma therapy,” Kim Honey, LCSW, a member of the Collaborative who is trained to provide the trauma-focused therapy.

The CMMHRN and partner agencies formed 19 care teams that trained 65 clinicians on Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. “This treatment is not just a model of therapy but a unique process of maintaining hope for many kids who may have lost hope due to childhood trauma,” says Honey.

“When you know you can help those children, it feels really good,” Meyer says. “The medical care and therapy the Network provides is one of the first steps to healing.”

To learn more about the CMMHRN and some of the teens who have been helped by this therapy, click here.