In addition to traditional talk therapy such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Family Connections offers five speciality services Somatic Experiencing,
EMDR, Play Therapy, Sand Tray Therapy and Filial Therapy and are described
in detail below
Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing (otherwise referred to as SE) is a trauma specific therapeutic model
developed by Peter Levine, PhD. Trauma is not something that happens to someone, trauma
is an event that occurs and a trauma response to that event is what happens to us. This trauma
response has the potential of developing stressful reactions in the body leading to an array of
mental health and medical symptoms that can have devasting and long lasting negative effects.
Often people present to medical and mental health professionals with an array of symptoms without any known cause or an ability to link it to any known traumtic event. The reason for this is due to how our physiology functions beginning with our central nervous system or more specifically our sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. When a traumatic event occurs our survival instinct of fight/flight (located in our brain stem) allows us to react accordingly for self preservation. If one becomes immobile and cannot move or freezes during the traumatic event this causes a shutting down of our sympathetic system, thereby constricting the majority of our organs and muscles. This shutting down becomes coupled with fear and the various stimuli in the environment at that time. This is commonly referred to as a "trigger" to trauma. Then whenever the stimuli is present in our environment again, a stressful reaction can occur as if the event is occuring again, but often with little connection to original event due to fragmentation or freezing in how this event was originally stored into memory. If left untreated, we are at risk of dysregulation and disorganization of the body and brain which is responsible for many mental health and medical problems.
The information below is taken from the Somatic Experiencing Website
for more details please visit their website at www.traumahealing.com
How does SE differ from other therapeutic modalities?
Key Concepts in the Somatic Experiencing Model
- SE understands that trauma is a natural and normal part of life, not a mistake, a disease, or an aberration.
- SE holds the attitude that the body-mind is designed to heal intense and extreme experiences, in contrast with common belief that the effects of trauma are permanent.
- The therapeutic approach of SE focuses on empowerment, mastery, expansion of choice, self-direction, and self-determination.
- SE works within the client's range of resiliency to facilitate the most efficient healing recovery, instead of pushing through "resistance", or promoting emotional catharsis or painful physical discomfort.
Content of a story is used to trace activation, rather than to search for memories.
Symptoms represent bound activiation; they show exaclty where to deactivate excess charge left over from the traumatic event. Symptoms are not a disease state, although they may be associated with an actual disease. The key is not over- or underemphasize pathology.
- SE works predominatntly with the "felt sense", accessing physical sensations, imagery and motor patterns, with less empahsis on cognitive and emotional processes.
- SE helps the client to recognize and expand the internal, external and missing resources to aid in the healing of the traumatic event.
- SE stabilizes the client in a safe, "grounded", resourced state before working with any traumatic event.
- SE helps facilitate the re-regulation of the ANS by restoring gentle cycles of sympathetic and parasympathetic interplay.
- Work with "just enough" activation to allow discharge, integration and/or completion within a person's current range of resiliency.
- SE works peripherally with the activation. This menas we many begin our work away from the area of greatest injury, or we may examine the traumatic event from what occurred before and after the primary core of that event. This allows us to reduce some of the bound charge, and build enough stability to tolerate the strong sensations and emotions contained in the apex of the event.
- SE works in the here and now and focuses on the sensations and body memories and resources occurring in the present.
- Expanding a person's tolerance of their bodily sensations helps them to trust in the innate wisdom of the dody, and beings to uncouple, or separate out, the fear and terror experience during the event.
How does SE differ from other therapeutic models?
- SE employs awareness of body sensation to help people "renegotiate" and heal rather than re-live or re-enact trauma.
- SE's guidance of the bodily "felt sense," allows the highly aroused survival energies to be safely experienced and gradually discharged.
- SE "titrates" experience, rather than evoking catharsis - which can overwhelm the regulatory mechanisms of the organism.
- SE helps eliminate pitfalls of re-traumatization and the spurious generation of "false memories".
- Somatic Experiencing offers a unique way of working with the physiology to restore regulation and organization in the mind, body and spirit. For more information about Somatic Experiencing please visit the Somatic Experiencing website at www.traumahealing.com
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitation and Reprocessing
EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a specific psychotherapy approach guided by an information processing model. EMDR is used to address experiences that contribute to clinical problems and health. Many individuals seeking EMDR have experienced traumatic events in their lives in which they continue having anxiety or intrusive disturbing thoughts associated with these events. However, EMDR is also used for many issues that create stress in one's life in which a reduction of distressing symptoms is desired.
Many of the issues that led to therapy can be resolved in three to four sessions of EMDR. For more complex issues, the therapy may take longer depending on the number of distressing issues or traumatic events. EMDR can be integrated with other forms of therapy depending on what works best for each individual.
Please visit this link for a more detailed description of the EMDR process:
http://www.emdrnetwork.org/description.html
http://www.brainwavesnic.com/?OVRAW=emdr&OVKEY=emdr&OVMTC=standard
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/emdr_therapy.htm
http://www.emdr.com/
Play Therapy
Play therapy is a therapeutic approach for children. Children love to play. While they play they are actually learning about their world, the people in their world and themselves. Many play therapists say "play is the language of children" and the "toys are their words." During play therapy, children have access to a variety of toys to express themselves as they desire through dramatic and imaginary play, sand, and art.
Why play therapy?
Play advances children's thinking, motor skills and emotional development. A child's play at home is basically the same as in the playroom, however, during play therapy the main purpose is to resolve emotional problems and lead to a better understanding of a child's needs and re-establish balance in the child's sense of well-being.
When children play, they are able to express their emotions such as anger, fear, happiness, shame and frustrations. Adults, when stressed, need to talk through their problems and often describe in repeated detail until the problems feel less intense. Children are often lacking the skills and developmental capacity to talk about or understand their feelings like adults, so they use play in the same way as adults use words. They will repeatedly play out their problems in detail with descreasing detail over time until they gain understanding and comfort with their problems.
A play therapist specially trained can assist the child through their play and help them in this process by encouraging them to play and by providing a safe and understanding environment.
How is play therapy beneficial?
Play therapy can help your child by...
- Developing understanding of their own feelings.
- Expressing their feelings to better meet their needs.
- Developing coping and problem solving skills.
- Practicing life's struggles to gain mastery and control over emotions.
- Reducing difficult behaviors that create negative consequences in their life.
- Working through conflicts.
- Increasing self-confidence.
Play therapy can help your family by...
- Developing increased understanding of child development.
- Developing increased understanding of your child and improving communication.
- Learning importance of your child's play and emotions.
- Learning new skills for positive childrearing results.
- Reduce frustrations.
- Making parenting more enjoyable.
What to expect?
Typically, children are reluctant to begin play therapy and hesitant to come to therapy. After a few sessions, this will change and they will enjoy coming for therapy and will now be reluctant to leave due to the relationship formed between them and the therapist. It is during these first few sessions that childrens' behaviors are likely to improve (possibly dramatically at home and at school). As play therapy progresses, their negative behaviors will begin to increase at home and at school. It is also possible the child will regress to an earlier developmental stage (i.e., sucking thumb, wetting/soiling). These behaviors are to be anticipated and parents should not be alarmed. The primary reason for the increase in these behaviors is due to their approaching their struggles and increased anxiety is a natural coping mechanism.
Who will benefit from play therapy?
Typically, play therapy is most beneficial for children ages 4-10. However, many children as young as 3 years of age and up to 12 or 13 will benefit from play therapy. Sometimes adolescents may benefit, depending on their developmental age. Many children who have been referred for play therapy may be struggling with the following issus:
- Depression, sadness, moodiness.
- Grief & loss.
- Divorce and family dissolution and possible relocation.
- Chronic illness of self or family member.
- Aggressive behaviors.
- Not following directions or rules.
- Excessively worries, is anxious or having separation issues.
- Traumatic stress from physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
- Traumatic stress from accidents, witnessing violence, or a natural disaster.
- Hyperactive or attention problems.
- Ritualistic or compulsive behaviors.
- Self-esteem or identity problems.
- Wetting or soiling.
- Nightmares/night terrors.
- Attachment related difficulties in biological/foster/adoptive families.
- Needing to be center of attention.
- Eating disorders or difficulties.
- School related difficulties.
- Peer problems.
- Isolation or withdrawal from social or family interactions.
How will I be involved as a parent?
Your involvement as a parent is an important part of the therapy process and is viewed as a collaborative process. You may be asked to meet with the therapist for approximately 10 minutes following each session. A parent may become involved in play therapy sessions if recommended by the therapist. Parents contribution to their child's progress is an essential component and is important for parents to support the therapy process by following the therapist's recommendations which may include activities outside the play therapy room.
How long will play therapy take?
It is difficult to determine the length of time necessary for a child to be seen in play therapy. It is dependent on several factors in the child's past and present situation. It also depends on the child's developmental level and the age of onset. Typically, if an event that led to therapy was recent, the less time necessary for the child to resolve the issue. However, the further back in the child's development, the longer the play process will take for the child to resolve the issue.
Sand Tray Therapy
Sand tray therapy is a therapeutic approach for children, adolescents, and adults. Couples can benefit from joint sand tray therapy as well as entire families. Sand tray therapy uses a container of sand (usually, fine play sand) and a wide variety of small figures or miniature items. There are two separate rooms for sand tray work at Family Connections. One room is specifically designed for working with adolescents and adults that contains more exquisite items. The other room is for children and is part of the playroom with figures less breakable and more child focused.
Sand tray therapy allows you to choose from a large selection of miniatures to create a scene in the sand, like an "artist's canvas." Typically, an instruction is provided such as "create your world," "pick items you like and don't like," "pick items about a particular memory," or you can pick your own topic. You will tell a story about your creation and share what the item(s) mean to you. In depth discussions of your art occur to explore various struggles or problems you are experiencing.
Each miniature chosen will most likely hold very special meaning to you and may tap into unconscious thoughts you were unaware of until you begin discussing the meaning. You may experience a powerful or magical reaction to your sand creation. Sand tray therapy allows for tough thoughts, feelings and experiences to become concrete and real, which allows for resolution, healing and self exploration.
Why sand tray therapy?
Sand tray therapy promotes change and increases coping skills. It can be viewed as a "safe witness" to express and explore thoughts, feelings and experiences by uncovering underlying and sometimes deep, complex emotional issues that standard "talk therapies" are unable to access. It can create distance and safety to discuss or re-create difficult issues within a "safe holding environment". Sand tray therapy provides meaning and insight into your life or unconscious issues safely through the use of pretend, symbolism, and metaphor. It allows you to have control throughout the entire process. It offers a unique sensory experience by simply touching and connecting with sand.
Who can benefit?
Children, adolescents, adults, families and couples seeking sand tray therapy may be struggling with the following issues:
- Depression, sadness, moodiness.
- Anger problems.
- Excessively worries or is anxious.
- Attention deficit/Hyperactivity.
- Traumatic stress from physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
- Traumatic stress from accidents, witnessing violence, or natural disaster.
- Ritualistic or compulsive behaviors.
- Self-esteem or identity problems.
- Anyone with eating disorders or difficulties.
- Anyone with normal life struggles who is looking for resolution to everyday
problems.
- Death, divorce, relocation, loss, employment, hospitalizations, or chronic illness.
Issues specific to children:
- Not following directions or rules.
- Separation issues.
- Wetting or soiling.
- Nightmares/night terrors.
- Attachment related difficulties in biological/foster/adoptive families.
- Hyperactive or attention problems.
- Needs to be center of attention.
- School related difficulties.
- Peer problems.
- Isolation or withdrawal from social or family interactions
How long will sand tray therapy take?
It is difficult to determine the length of time necessary for an individual to be seen in sand tray therapy. It depends on several factors in the individual's past and present situation. It also depends on the length of time the issue or problem has been present. Typically, if an event that led to therapy was recent, the less time necessary to resolve the issue. However, the further back in time and the number of issues present, the longer the sand tray therapy process will take to resolve the issue(s). Some individuals prefer to work through their issues using only sand tray therapy, but may also be used in conjunction with other play and talk therapies.
How will I be involved as a parent?
Your involvement as a parent is an important part of the sand tray therapy process. You may be asked to briefly meet with the therapist for approximately 10 minutes following each session. A parent may become involved in the sand tray therapy, if recommended by the therapist. Parents will also be asked to contribute to their child's progress by following the therapist's recommendations which may include activities outside the therapy room in efforts to support the therapy process.
Note: The Sand Tray Therapy used at Family Connections should not be confused with
another form of therapeutic work in the sand, referred to as Sandplay Therapy.
Filial Therapy
Filial Therapy is a unique therapeutic approach in which parents hold special play sessions with their child and are the main change agents for their child's challenging behaviors. Parents learn therapeutic, child centered skills aimed at strengthening the parent-child relationship, thus reducing or eliminating a variety of emotional and behavioral difficulties. Filial Therapy can also be used to help prevent potential emotional and behavioral difficulties.
What are the goals of Filial Therapy?
- Children learn and understand their feelings.
- Children learn to express feelings more appropriately.
- Children and parents develop new problem solving skills.
- It can reduce or eliminate challenging behaviors.
- Children will feel heard and understood.
- Children can work through troubling issues.
- It can increase trust between children and parents.
- It can increase children's self-confidence and self-worth.
- It can increase parents' confidence in parenting a difficult child.
- Repair family's ability to have fun together.
- Provide tools the family can use in the future.
How will I be involved as a Parent?
You will meet with the therapist approximately twice to learn the following skills:
- Structuring
- Limit setting
- Empathic listening skills
- Child-centered imaginary play
- Understanding play themes
You will hold special play sessions with your child in the office for approximately 10-16 weeks (1x/week). Eventually you will transfer the play sessions to the home. Once the sessions have moved to the home, you will visit periodically with the therapist to continue support of the play sessions as necessary.
What are the Skills I will Learn?
Structuring is used to begin and end the play session. It allows the child to understand the format of the play sessions and communicates to the child their ability to feel empowered & be in control while the parent maintains overall control of play session.
Limit Setting allows parents to use a 3-step process of stating limits, giving a warning and enforcing consequences when necessary to assist children in gaining self-control.
Empathic Listening is a way of responding to your child by using tracking (restating a child's words, movements and actions) and reflecting (tuning into your child's emotions/feelings and stating your observations) statements which conveys sensitivity and understanding of your child's needs through acceptance and validation.
Child Centered Imaginary Play Many play therapists say, "play is the language of children" and play is a child's work as they learn and master skills and observe the world around them. As a result, children use fantasy/make believe or imaginary play to understand their world. In Filial Therapy a parent will enter into their child's imaginary play, allow the child to direct the play as they cast the parent into various roles to act out their problems.
Understanding play themes As your child enters imaginary play they will use various toys which may hold special meaning for them in the form of symbolism and metaphors. It is the meaning they attach to their play that depicts themes in their life. Together, parents and the therapist will examine these themes to discover the child's problems and difficulties. Finally, the parent is able to use empathic listening skills to help their child process their problems and reduce or eliminate challenging behaviors.
Who will benefit from Filial therapy?
Typically, Filial Therapy is most beneficial for children ages 4 - 10. However, many children as young as 3 years of age and up to 12 or 13 will benefit from Filial Therapy. Sometimes adolescents may benefit, depending on their developmental age. Filial Therapy is most beneficial for children struggling with the following issues:
- Depression, sadness, moodiness.
- Grief & loss.
- Divorce and family dissolution and possible relocation.
- Chronic illness of self or family member.
- Aggressive behaviors.
- Not following directions or rules.
- Excessively worries, is anxious or having separation issues.
- Traumatic stress from physical, sexual or emotional abuse.
- Traumatic stress from accidents, witnessing violence, or a natural disaster.
- Hyperactive or attention problems.
- Ritualistic or compulsive behaviors.
- Self-esteem or identity problems.
- Wetting or soiling.
- Nightmares/night terrors.
- Attachment related difficulties in biological/foster/adoptive families.
- Needing to be center of attention.
- Eating disorders or difficulties.
- School related difficulties.
- Peer problems.
- Isolation or withdrawal from social or family interactions.
11708 Wayzata Blvd
Minnetonka, MN 55305
ph. 952-544-0964
fax. 952-544-6405
joyce_arendt@msn.com
. . . Restorative Healing for All Generations
