Katelyn Halleran, LCAT, ATR-BC

I am a certified trauma focused cognitive behavioral therapist. When kids act out and exhibit problematic behaviors, they are often labeled as "bad kids". I don't look at these children as "bad" rather than kids who may have had something bad happen to them. In utilizing TF-CBT, I work with both kids and their caregiver to understand the nature of the traumatic event and explore ways in which they can find meaning. In providing kids with the skills, they need to effectively cope with the trauma, we often are able to create a trauma narrative. This allows the child to better understand ways in which this may have affected their life, while encouraging them to feel empowered and regain a sense of control. When kids experience a trauma and begin to exhibit behavioral outbursts, caregivers often struggle in knowing how to respond to these behaviors. I often work with the caregiver to explore ways to respond to these behaviors such as developing contingency management plans and reward systems.