Bruce Perry's Impact: Considerations for Art Therapy & Children from Violent Homes

Bruce Perry's Impact Upon the Clinical Practice of Four Art Therapists Gretchen Miller, ATR-BC Considerations for Children from Violent Homes The Domestic Violence Center Cleveland, OH

About DVC
DVC offers comprehensive, coordinated programs and services throughout the Greater Cleveland area that address the immediate and long term needs of women, men and children who are affected by domestic violence.
Art therapy is provided for children, teens, and women in shelter, as well for the community through outreach services.

Art Therapy Goals
Stabilization
Emotion expression and validation
Coping with feelings and crisis
Reducing anxiety, fear, tension
Adjustment to shelter life, family changes
Safety planning
Short term intervention & prevention

Children From Violent Homes: Impact on Brain Functioning “The brain is organized in a hierarchical fashion such that all incoming sensory input first enters the lower parts of the brain.” ~ Bruce Perry Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Work with Maltreated and Traumatized Children (2006)

Children From Violent Homes: Impact on Brain Functioning
A child who witnesses, hears, and lives in a home
where a batterer is engaging in abusive,
intimidating, and controlling behaviors exists under
a constant state of fear and danger.
As a result, children who witness and live in this
violence retain, recall, and react to their
environment in a continuous state of threat, terror,
and alarm.

This persistent expectation of endangerment and
adapting to this on-going threat alters the child’s
brain development which directly impacts the
child’s well being physically, emotionally,
behaviorally, and cognitively.
Children From Violent Homes: Impact on Brain Functioning

Physical Impact
Hormone coritosal is released by the brain to respond to impending threat
Causes increase in adrenalin, heart rate, blood pressure, muscle tension
Sleep disturbances
Heightened state of arousal
Hyper vigilance / Startle response

Emotional Impact
Depression
Irritability
Anger
Fearfulness
Anxiety
Lack of affect

Behavioral Impact
Aggression
Regression
Nightmares
Separation Anxiety
Oppositional
Repetitive play

Cognitive Impact
Decrease in attention span
Difficulty concentrating
Confusion around traumatic event
Memory Impairment
Persistent intrusive thoughts & images
Poor self image and self esteem

The brain is responsible for moderating
the child’s emotional, behavioral, social, & motor functioning.
Therapeutic interventions can help bring
change in the child by influencing change in
the child’s brain.
Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Work with Maltreated and Traumatized Children (2006)
Bruce Perry’s Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT)

Appropriate developmental level
Provide a sense of safety & predictability
Repetition
Relational enrichment
Experience of reward
Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Work with Maltreated and Traumatized Children (2006)
Considerations for Interventions

Group structure is designed to foster:
Consistency
Predictability
Safety and ability to make choices
Relational interaction
Appropriate role modeling
DVC Youth Support Groups

Welcome
Group Guidelines
Check-In
Group Snack
Introduction of Topic
Art Experiential
Processing and Sharing
Check-Out
Support Group Structure

Provides predictability
Language of guidelines address issues related to abusive, hurting, and battering behaviors
Repetitive and consistent
Promotes opportunities for success
Group Guidelines

Check-In

Sensory based activities that explore:
- Acceptance and trust
- Validation of experience
- Educate & normalize trauma reactions
- Promoting emotional expression
- Coping and stress management
Art Experiential

A Terrible Thing Happened
Validation and Normalization of Common Trauma Reactions

References Perry, B. (2006). Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Work with Maltreated and Traumatized Children in Working with Traumatized Youth in Child Welfare edited by Nancy Boyd. The Guilford Press, New York: NY. Link to article: www.childtrauma.org/ctamaterials/NeurosequentialModel_06.pdf

Gretchen Miller, ATR-BC [email_address] gretchen-miller.com

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Bruce Perry's Impact: Considerations for Art Therapy & Children from Violent Homes

by gretchen miller

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