Transforming Trauma in Children and Adolescents by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781623172596
Publisher: North Atlantic Books
Published: 2020-02-28T00:00:00+00:00

Activities That Build Attachment

The following activities and games have shown up spontaneously in many SMART therapies and promote healing in the preverbal sensory motor dialogue, the child’s first language, between children of all ages and their caregiver.

Swinging and Being Swung by Adults. This activity, often accompanied by songs or lullabies, provides essential stimulus to the developing vestibular system and generates basic trust as predictability of actions is paired with calming effects. Swings help the child to receive inputs from the caregiver regardless of the child’s age.

Rocking. As caregivers learn to match their rocking to the child’s pace, they soothe and calm the child effectively. Gentle arcing side to side on a spinning board has a similar effect. At home, rocking chairs or just sitting in a parent’s lap and rocking can provide this bonding experience.

Balancing. Balancing activities provide opportunities for exploring the reliability of the caregiver by reaching for a hand to balance and then letting go to balance solo. Balancing activities also assist with overcoming fear that help will not be there when the child needs it, and support work with both avoidant and anxious styles.

Deep Touch Pressure. When touch experience was contaminated by separations, neglect, or frightened or frightening touch, the equipment opens up the experience of touch pressure that can be expanded to caregiver touch as the child’s Window of Tolerance expands.

Jumping and Diving into Cushions. This activity offers ways to explore one’s body and risk-taking with supervision and protection, as needed, for safety. The child explores moving away from and coming back to the caregiver, and enjoying being witnessed by a caregiver.

Ball Play. Playing with balls facilitates experiences of “me and you,” of reciprocity, and of getting in sync, falling out, and getting back in sync, the very nature of attachment processes (Tronick 2007).

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