One day in supervision, we were discussing ways to shift parenting practices and family interaction in a family that had adopted a child with Reactive Attachment Disorder. I started walking step-by-step across the room while speaking from the child's point of view. Each step represented a stage or year in the child's development. We suddenly realized the power of this kind of exercise in explaining RAD to therapists — RAD from the inside out, so to speak. Then clinicians would be in a better position to help families.
The paper represents RAD from the point of view of a combined child/professional narrator. So, the child speaks to internal feelings while interpolating professional concepts. All of the behaviors we observe in these traumatized children are explained — dysregulation, escalating, lying, hostile acts, and more. We also look at how parents respond, understanding how and why consequences may not work, and mutual escalation. Where some neuro-developmental finding has been demonstrated in the literature, we bring that in. Lastly, we include some thoughts on parenting that will make sense in context of all that we explain.
The paper can be helpful to families as well. Although it is copyrighted, I give permission for professional psychotherapists to use it in their clinical work with their families as long as the paper is not re-published, reproduced, or copied. And with the caveat that the author hopes to receive feedback on the usefulness, accuracy, and comprehensiveness of the document.
Articles meant to assist our Therapists and those in our Internship Program.
Lessons from Three Weeks of Psychotherapy
