Therapeutic Support

Joy, laughter, curiosity, sadness, pain, anger, reunion, happiness…

These are some of the words chosen to capture the lived experience of human life within infancy. Infant observation research reiterate that it is during this period of human life where infants begin to form a sense of self. The importance of these initial years of human life have been supported by evidence-based research cited within neurobiology, child development and cognitive psychology, gaining recognition amongst leading establishment and government based agencies.

Fear, confusion, loneliness, failure, pain, vulnerability, pressure and rejection…

These are some of the words chosen to capture the lived experience of many of the children we have been honoured to have reside within our presence and who have called our havens their home. The impact of their early years and proceeding years are pivotal when reflecting upon a child’s personality development, cognition and identity.

ACC Homes advocate increasing awareness within developmental trauma and the pervasive impact of chronic and repeated adverse experiences. The impact of repeated traumatic experiences has been seen to be a contributing factor towards distorted thinking, identity crisis, poor emotional regulation, dissociation and self-esteem.

WHAT DO WE OFFER?

ACC Home's offers a therapeutic package consisting of weekly sessions of Counselling/Psychotherapy for our children

The home aims to foster trauma informed practices by delivering bespoke training to the staff team.

A trauma informed approach is applied within the home using the PACE Model by Dan Hughes. This is utilised to support the core principles of recognising, realising, resisting and responding to trauma.

We use an integrative model which tailors' modalities around the child’s needs. The core foundation combines some of the following therapies around the young persons needs and mental wellbeing. A humanistic approach is applied throughout to ensure empathy, acceptance and unconditional positive regard are evoked. Some of the theoretical approaches which are utilised include:

Attachment theory,
Psychodynamic Theory,
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy,
Person Centred Approach,

Specialist interventions are utilised by the Psychotherapist include Therapeutic Life story work, Trauma focused CBT, Child accelerated Trauma Technique (CATT) and therapeutic play. The home contains a dedicated therapy room whereby the therapist delivers 1:1 sessions on a weekly basis. It is a therapeutic safe environment designed to facilitate expression of ones inner world. This includes toys, arts, crafts, stationary, sand tray Therapy and various sensory mediums to elicit, foster and facilitate verbal/non-verbal communication.

What is Counselling?

Counselling is defined as a specialised method of active listening skills in combination with therapeutic theories and expertise which is utilised to alleviate emotional distress and promote emotional and mental wellbeing.

The role of a Counsellor entails providing a safe space for people to address emotional and psychological wellbeing.

What is PSYCHOTHERAPY?

Psychotherapy is similar to the above definition with the following caveats.

Psychotherapy requires a practitioner to understand the importance of theoretical understanding alongside awareness of working at a greater depth of the human psyche and elements of mental disorder classifications.

Such work requires working at greater depth with conscious, preconscious and unconscious processes. Within sessions, the use of arts and play are pivotal in practice.

These expressive mediums facilitate engagement and communication with ones inner world whilst allowing a young person to maintain a psychic distance.

What is ATTACHMENT THEORY?

Attachment theory, developed by psychologist John Bowlby, focuses on the bonds between children and their primary caregivers, emphasising the importance of these relationships for emotional and social development.

In the context of children, attachment theory suggests that the way a child forms emotional bonds with their caregivers significantly impacts their behaviour, self-esteem, relationships, and ability to cope with stress throughout life.

THE
"THRIVE MODEL"

Based upon evidence based research in conjunction with statistical analysis of collective case studies within the homes, ACC Home’s have developed their own therapeutic model known as the “Thrive model”.

Empirical and subjective analysis of individual case studies have yielded promising results which further corroborate the importance of working alongside the trauma recovery model. The formation of a secure base is modelled on Gillian Schofield’s research, focusing on building a cohesive sense of self, identity, family membership and self-esteem. The importance of identifying, recognising, challenging, and rescripting core beliefs around the self, others and the world (Internal working model) are often entangled within a child’s daily routine, both within moments of happiness/elation and moments of difficulty and heightened emotions.

Adults are also supported in delivering trauma informed practices in line with current research and practice stemming from attachment theory, developmental trauma. It is here that adults responses are refined, revised and revitalised through bespoke training offered by the in house Counsellor/Psychotherapist within the following domains:

Attachment Theory
PACE training
Harmful Sexualised behaviour
Developmental Trauma and Loss

ACC Home’s prides itself on offering a comprehensive outlook on each child’s unique experiences from a trauma informed approach.

Recognition, realisation, resistance and responses to trauma are at the heart of the ethos of this home. The impact of adverse childhood experiences has gained both meritocracy and recognition, particularly highlighting the importance of “relational healing”.

Karen Treismans working definition of therapeutic work holds an existential and personal touch to our homes.

We are a family and like any and many families, we came in all shapes and sizes. Like many families, we value the importance of building positive attachment experiences.