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When Traumatic Stressors Are Not Past, But Now: Psychosocial Treatment To Develop Resilience With Children And Youth Enduring Concurrent, Complex Trauma, Katherine Mccrea, Deanna Guthrie, Jeffrey Bulanda

Katherine Tyson McCrea

While providing school-based treatment for 450 urban impoverished children and youth from 2006-2014, we found implementing specific elements of PTSD treatment models reduced engagement and aggravated clients’ symptoms. Clients’ traumas were neither past nor single-type, but were multiple (complex) and unavoidably occurring concurrently with treatment, so we speculated that many trauma treatment elements needed revision to be effective. Using a participatory action research methodology, we developed a resilience-focused treatment model for concurrently-traumatized clients. Drawing from the strengths perspective, self-determination, and hope theories, key treatment elements revised here are triggers, re-enactment, avoidance, “silencing,” and dissociation. Treatment guidelines include creating a safe …