Psychotherapy for Parents with Trauma and Attachment Difficulties

Abstract

This paper describes the arousal of therapist concern regarding the well-being of children in families where there is parental mental illness and domestic violence; a vignette demonstrates how this is understood by the therapist and processed in the therapeutic relationship. The consequent development of a small pilot to provide psycho-education and peer support to caregivers and children with parents who have mental illness in a group setting is described. Reflections are then given, following from the evaluation of this group, on the need for public funded, attachment informed, family focused therapeutic interventions for caregivers with infants, children and young people who are deemed at risk because of insecure or disorganised attachment or behavioural difficulties.

Whakarāpopotonga

E whakaahua ana tēnei pepa i te whakaohonga ake o te mānukanuka o ngā kaihaumanu e pā ana ki te hauora o ngā tamariki e pāngia ana te matua whāea rānei i te mate hinengaro me te whakarekereke-ā-whare; he whakaaturanga tā tētahi pito i tā te kaihaumanu arotau me te tukanga i roto i te here haumanu. Ka whakaahuatia te whanaketanga i ara ake mai i tētahi maramara whakamātautau ki te whakarato mātauranga-hinegaro, pou aropā hoki ki ngā kaiāwhina me ngā tamariki whai mātua mate hinengaro i roto rōpū. Ka whakaputahia ake ngā tirohanga i muri mai i te arotakenga o tēnei rōpū, mō te whai pūtea matawhānui, mātauranga here, haumanu takawaenga arotahi whānau mō ngā kaiāwhina whiwhi kōhunganga, mō ngā tamariki me ngā taiohi e whakaarohia ana kei te whakamōrea nā te here kaumingomingo here tītengi rānei, te whanoke rānei.