TF-CBT TipsLynn Geiger, Ph.D.

The Cognitive Triangle We are one whole body made of

thoughts, feelings, & behavior Usually our thoughts, feelings, &

behavior match Usually they are connected or related to

one another

Let’s Try an ExperimentThink of a time you really enjoyed yourself

How do you feel? How do you act? How do you behave? What were you thinking? Remembering it

now what are your thoughts?

Let’s try another: Describe a time you felt really great.

Describe a time that was really unpleasant for you. (Not the trauma)

How do you feel, act/behave, what are your thoughts

See how these are related/connected with each other

CopingWhen faced with unpleasant times, what are thoughts & actions that can help us? Positive self-talk

Breathing

Reward yourself

I Can Do It. I’m Brave.

Coping cont’d Rewards from others

Remember other times of success, courage, bravery

Imagine a cartoon character who is good at coping

Oh Yes! Oh NoA 4 yr. old girl who had been sexually abused by Mom’s boyfriend

He came to live with us Oh Yes!

He yelled and was mean Oh No! He gave me a present Oh

Yes! He touched me in my vagina Oh No! I told Mommy & he left us Oh

Yes! I still had bad dreams Oh

No! I came to see you & feel better Oh Yes!

Oh Yes! Oh NoA 7 yr. old boy emotionally + physically abused by step father Mom got married to him Oh

Yes! He watched me when she Oh No!

went to work He called me names + yelled Oh No!

and was mean He took us shopping Oh

Yes! I got nothing Oh

No!

Oh Yes! Oh No cont’d I cried with Mom & she was Oh

Yes! nice He hit me & threw me Oh

No! across the room I told Mom + she said I was Oh

Yes! Brave She made him leave Oh

Yes! I came to see you and I Oh

Yes! got over it

Attention Mix up Yes’ and No’s to decrease

superstitious or symmetrical expectations. That if a positive event occurs it will be

followed by a negative event.

Anger Early on we understand anger as a

scary, hurtful, threatening, unsafe feeling

As adults we learn about constructive anger versus destructive anger

So use metaphors, symbols for kids such as Dragons All dragons breathe fire. Generally, dragons want the fire to be

safe/ to breathe the fire out safely.

Dragons If you were a dragon what would you

do? Where could you go if you feel angry? What can you o to get the anger (fire)

out? What’s safe for you to show anger – not to

hurt others when angry?

Dragons cont’d Just like when the dragon can feel their

fire starting to get too hot, can you feel the anger in you starting to build?

Turn and breathe our fire out over the “lake”

Connection between breathing for anger management and breathing for relaxing

Anger

Anger - Volcano

Anger – Volcano Also can be used as example of safe

expression of anger Volcanoes erupt, that’s just what they do

sometimes Kids can draw pictures of what’s

erupting from their volcano Volcanoes don’t want to hurt villagers so

they warn them to keep them safe

Anger - Volcano One warning sign from a volcano is

steam

What warning signals do you get that you’re going to explode?

Barnyard Friends Sometimes a longer relaxation time is

needed so I use a guided visualization Imagine we are taking a trip to a farm:

If you see it, you can put it away

Resiliency Training Crisis Care Network – crisiscare.com

“Hope is Alive”Hope

Positive Adaption to Trauma Accept the unexpected Believe in your child’s strength Believe in YOUR strengths Assume recovery Seek transformational coping

I Believe in You

& Myself