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Trauma Focused CBT For Children and Adolescents

What is Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)?

  • Trauma-Focused CBT is relationship-based. Your therapist will get to know you and your child, and work with you to feel better. Children and their parents attend sessions together.
  • Also, it uses trauma-sensitive therapy along with with cognitive behavioral, family, and humanistic work.
  • Importantly, the focus is to help young people who have emotional concerns related to traumatic life events.

How long does Trauma Focused CBT typically last?

  • TF-CBT is designed to last 12 to 16 sessions. Over 80 percent of traumatized children who receive this treatment improve after 12 to 16 sessions.
  • Treatment may be provided for longer periods depending upon your child’s or family’s needs.
  • TF-CBT can be used as part of a larger treatment plan for children with complex difficulties.

Who is Trauma Focused CBT for?

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  • This treatment targets children and adolescents (ages 3 to 18) and their parents.
  • The children or adolescents who are treated with TF-CBT have emotional problems (e.g., symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder, fear, anxiety, or depression) related to traumatic life events.
  • Additionally, children or adolescents experiencing traumatic grief can also benefit from this treatment.

During treatment, children and parents learn new skills to help:

  • Sort through the thoughts and feelings related to traumatic life events
  • Decrease distressing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors
  • Improve safety, growth, parenting skills, and family communication

Does Trauma Focused CBT work?

  • Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral therapy is the most well-supported and effective treatment for children who have experienced trauma.
  • Also, multiple clinical research studies consistently have found it to help children with PTSD and other trauma-related problems.
  • Furthermore, TF-CBT was rated a “Well-supported, efficacious treatment”, the highest level of empirical support in the U.S. Department of Justice sponsored report Child Physical and Sexual Abuse: Guidelines for Treatment.
  • Additionally, TF-CBT was selected as a “Best Practice” for cases of child abuse in the Kaufman Best Practices Task Force Final Report sponsored by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
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Does Hope Springs Behavioral Consultants Provide TF-CBT?

We use these techniques regularly in our clinical practice. Moreover, Dr. Anderson has provided training and professional presentations on TF-CBT to other psychologists and mental health professionals who work with children.

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