We want to offer therapeutic support to kids who have experienced trauma in their past, especially to children who have grown up under state care protection and children from poor families. For these children in particular, studies have shown that their brain develops differently than a child who has grown up in a healthy family. Additionally, these kids are more likely to experience sensory disorders, social difficulties, and emotional instability. Furthermore, because their attachment relationship is often negatively affected as a result of their harder circumstances, they often have trouble trusting other people and are more likely to live on the fear level.
Unfortunately, caregivers are often unprepared for working with children who have a background of trauma. They find that traditional methods of disciplining a kid doesn’t work well for those with trauma, but these caregivers usually don’t have other tools to use.
Rise Together wants to implement TBRI (Trust Based Relational Intervention) activities in their programs. Through TBRI, kids will learn to gain trust, to express their needs, and to use their words to communicate their need. These children will also be taught calming techniques and ways to self-regulate. We will also be working with them on life values such as showing respect, listening and obeying, using your words, no hurts, etc. At the same time, we want to show the kids what the right behavior is based on these life values. Additionally, because play has an important role in helping kids learn and heal, we will use play to connect with these kids and to correct them. Furthermore, we will provide trainings to caregivers of these children so that they will be equipped to use these tools at home.
In addition to TBRI, we will use other methods (such as the Feuerstein Method) to create new neural paths in order to help the brain function at its full potential. Neuroplasticity is a characteristic of the brain, so there are many things that kids can do to help rewire their brain in order to rise up from trauma and be successful.
Why do we use play? Because a playful environment is a healing environment.