Abstract
This chapter details a resilience framework for treating child trauma that attests to the powerful healings and self-reparative forces within children to sometimes overcome unthinkable adversity. Interpersonal trauma such as domestic violence, abuse, or neglect poses unique challenges to the developing child in terms of the devastating blow to their developing attachments and the crucial sense of basic trust that Erickson emphasized as crucial to healthy child development. The therapeutic work described in this chapter is not intended to illustrate any particular skill on the part of the therapist but rather the awesome internal resources of a preschool child who was confronted with unimaginable trauma at age 2 years, 7 months following chronic stress conditions related to domestic violence. In addition, the healing powers of play therapy are well illustrated in offering the symbolic language and action of play as a safe and natural way for this unusually imaginative and creative preschool child to create her trauma narrative. The most striking features of this child was her unwavering strength and buoyancy in the face of stress that would typically be experienced as overwhelming, making this a story of almost unheard and inspiring resilience in such a young child who was seen in play therapy during the ages of 3–5.
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Crenshaw, D.A., Swan, A., Boccabella, J. (2023). A Resilience Framework for Treating Child Trauma. In: Goldstein, S., Brooks, R.B. (eds) Handbook of Resilience in Children. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-14728-9_19
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