How to Choose the Right Childhood Trauma Specialist for Your Child
To heal from childhood trauma, the right trauma recovery counselor is essential. The body stores unresolved emotions and painful experiences, which negatively shape the mind and outlook on life.
For children, fearful experiences can result in severe consequences, including dissociation and perpetual feelings of fear, shame, and guilt.
Some individuals may not remember their trauma and find that it shows itself within the body, such as physical symptoms of anxiety, tension, and becoming easily startled. Children may face immense difficulties that wreak havoc well into adolescence and adulthood. For all these reasons, involving the right trauma counselor is paramount.
Trauma is complex, which makes finding the right childhood trauma recovery counselor challenging. There are, however, key factors to look for that can set you on track to finding a specialist who can help. For more information on finding the right childhood trauma specialist for your child, continue reading.
The trauma specialist knows which tools will foster healing.
Trauma affects the individual on a physical, emotional, and social level. The right trauma specialist will know how to incorporate specific tools that foster safe healing across all these domains. Your specialist’s resources should include community support, therapy, and psychiatric evaluation.
They make your child feel safe and supported.
A significant component of trauma recovery is rebuilding trust. Your child needs to feel safe and supported and that they can trust the specialist they are working with. No matter how qualified the specialist may be, it is essential to use your judgment as a parent and listen to your child’s input on how they feel after meeting a specific trauma counselor. The right trauma specialist must be someone your child feels safe with.
They are willing to meet you where you are financially.
If a specialist is predominantly focused on their pay rates, look elsewhere. A compassionate and skilled professional will understand that financial flexibility is integral to healing. Never settle for the professional who charges more than you can reasonably pay.
There are counselors available who can successfully help your child heal without charging you more than you can afford. Options for insurance acceptance, payment plans, and sliding scales are fundamental indications that the provider you’re considering values your financial needs as much as they value your child’s healing. Wait for the trauma specialist to meet you where you are.
They are experienced with evidence-based modalities.
You should prioritize therapeutic protocols known to effectively treat underlying conditions and set the framework for healing from trauma.
Verify with the trauma specialist that the therapeutic modalities you discuss are evidence-based to avoid wasting time on techniques that may not provide lasting results.
Give your child everything they need to heal.
Choosing the right childhood trauma specialist involves a myriad of factors to consider. As a parent, you want to provide your child with everything they need. Follow the suggestions above to protect their physical, emotional, and social safety as they embark on their healing journey.