The DNA -V model (the D, N, A, and V stand for specific skills within the model) has a special way of speaking authentically to young people setting out to figure out who and how they want to be. It is a model that has a practical, accessible framework that is clearly grounded in well-researched principles of behavior change as well as adolescent development. The traditional elements of adult therapy don't always work well with younger folks. Children and adolescents need to learn to build their flexible psychological strength in terms of their developmental stage. The DNA V model teaches exercises to build new skills and tools to guide kids throughout their life's journey.  The model uses Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and positive psychology to help teens manage emotions, achieve goals and build connections. There are several ACT-based intervention methods that include most of the traditional child therapy elements (CBT, Mindfulness, play therapy, art therapy) but also include more experiential methods.

 

I often incorporate movement in the session especially when more traditional types of talk therapy don't appeal to the young person.  Movement includes art, writing, play, or acting out of skills in session and mindfulness exercises they can also use when they leave.  I have a collection of humorous and informative videos that support what we work on that appeal to many of the young people I work with. I have Apps that teach and track the skills when appropriate and workbooks to facilitate exploring stuck patterns. Adolescence is the most difficult time in a person's life- I truly believe this is the case for most of us. I so value helping young people get unstuck and find helpful ways to be the person they want to be despite what might be going on around them.

 

TF-CBT

Children who have experienced a trauma most often require a more specific set of skills.  I follow the Trauma Focused -Cognitive Behavior Therapy TF-CBT treatment model when children are experiencing symptoms of trauma.  Not all children who have experienced a 'traumatic event' have such symptoms and this model might not be appropriate. The traumatic events I am referring to include sudden or unexpected deaths or events, the shocking nature of said events, threat to life or bodily integrity; and/or the subjective feeling of intense terror, horror or helplessness. Some examples include child physical or sexual abuse, witnessing or being the victim of domestic, community or school violence, severe motor vehicle and other accidents, potentially life-threatening illnesses and natural disasters.  The experience of trauma depends on more than just the nature of the event. It also depends greatly on the individual child's response to the events.  The child's response can vary greatly from others depending on their natural temperament, their way of understanding the event, the connections they make to the people in their lives, family support and their natural or learned ways of coping with stress. 

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TF-CBT is broken down into several components and some children will need all of them and others only need a few. I will do a trauma assessment in order to determine the best treatment options and discuss them thoroughly with the caregivers. Caregivers will be involved in all stages of treatment and participate in parts of the sessions along with the child. TF-CBT allows for a lot of creativity to be built into the sessions, and I have a large toolbox of play, art and narrative therapy strategies to pull from.  Every so often a child will teach me a new way to make the skills more 'kid-friendly'!