I found this information in an email from The Child Trauma Academy on Spirit Reins Equine Therapy: “Participants learned that the brains of “prey” animals, such as horses, are organized much like that of a traumatized and hypervigilant children who are constantly scanning the environment for threat. The horse, for one, senses a child’s hypervigilance instinctively…
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the behavior battle (adoption/foster)
Behaviors come in all shapes and sizes. There is avoidance, vocal aggression, physical aggression, self-abuse, rude comments, bowel issues, sleep issues, food issues, and the list goes on, and on, and on. Many of you are in a battle with behaviors. Last year we had a Speech Pathologist and a Developmental Therapist coming to our…
Read Moretips for a better summer vacation (adoption/Autism)
Summer vacations are here, and maybe you’re excited about the fast approaching fun, or maybe you’re apprehensive about it going awry. No matter where you stand, it’s important to have understanding of your child, and a plan in your suitcase before you go. Before you go on your trip, PLAN, PLAN, PLAN, and TALK, TALK,…
Read Moresigns of neglect, trauma, and attachment issues
My last post delved into attachment issues and what we need to know so we can begin helping our children. In that post, I said we would be looking at what attachment issues can look like and how we might not notice them. I would like to change that verbiage a little. I will be…
Read Moreattachment in adoption – the first things we need to know
In Chris Cleave’s novel Little Bee, he writes Little Bee’s thoughts, “Take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means I survived.” This makes me think of our adopted children who struggle with attachment issues because they have scars. A scar also means they’ve been through a traumatic experience.…
Read Morewhat creates a resilient adopted child?
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Children are resilient.” I’ve heard naive adults, who have no concept of what pain a child carries when they are neglected and abused say this, but worse than that is when I hear an adoptive parent place this expectation on a hurting child. The latter shocks me the most. If…
Read Moreher name is Bella
Her name is Bella. A beautiful name. A beautiful girl. She is five. Only five. What hell has befallen this little girl in her few short years is unimaginable. The Department checked on her and her sister ELEVEN times before they removed them, and placed them in foster care. She has been in seven foster…
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lovin' adoptin' & autism 