Traditional therapy techniques are usually unproductive with attachment-impaired children, since they rely on the child's ability to form trusting relationships, which an attachment impaired child is unable to do. Attachment therapy seeks to build the bonds of trust between a parent and child, not between the therapist and child. Attachment therapy involves the parents and the child working together, rather than the therapist working with the child alone. Attachment therapy is directive, experiential and confrontational, in that it deals with the drama, trauma and truth of the child's life.

The Center for Adoption & Attachment Therapy, LLC provides treatment fitted to the specific needs of each individual child and family. This multi-faceted approach may include any or all of the following:

• Assessment and evaluation of the child for Reactive Attachment Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other post-institutional and adoption issues; and of the parents, for trauma history, parenting styles and need for support
  
• Experiential education in High Nurture/High Structure Parenting
• Trauma therapy for children
  
• Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy
  
• Family Therapy
• Narrative Therapy
• Cognitive restructuring for adoption and trauma issues, including Life-book creation
• Therapist-supervised / parent-child Holding Therapy

The Multifaceted Approach

This Approach takes into account the body/mind connection. There are many food allergies and intolerances which can cause irritability and even rages in children. In addition, many children were deprived of the sensory input which infants need to develop normally. Many of my clients have shown dramatic improvement when the following were integrated into trauma and attachment therapy:

• Examination for food allergies
• Insensitivities to foods, artificial dyes and artificial preservatives
• Elimination of heavy metal toxicity and other metabolic imbalances
• Work with an Occupational Therapist or Chiropractic Neurologist for Sensory Processing Disorder

Additional Adoption & Attachment Services

• Pre-adoption counseling: to learn about attachment issues and prepare for parenting an adopted child. Available for individuals and groups.
• Attachment checkup: when the adoptive child joins the family. Includes an assessment for attachment and trauma issues, and education on facilitating attachment through specific attachment therapy techniques.

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