Childhood can be an exciting time, full of joyous
exploration, new skills, friends, and imaginative play.
It can also be very frightening, especially when
children have experiences that threaten their feelings
of safety and well-being. Even common traumatic
childhood events can deeply affect children's normal
healthy development, their self-esteem, and their
families. Many behavioral problems stemming from common
traumatic events could require years of psychotherapy or
medication. That is, they did -- until the advent of
EMDR. Developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro in the
late 1980s, EMDR had already helped thousands of adult
clients when Joan Lovett experienced its healing power
firsthand.Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing
(EMDR) is a comprehensive therapeutic approach that
helps patients release disturbing thoughts and emotions
that originate in traumatic experiences. Experiences can
be traumatic in the commonly accepted sense -- abuse,
disasters, violence -- but children may also perceive
and respond to more ordinary events as very threatening.
A playground accident, the loss of a loved one, school
problems, or choking on a piece of popcorn can be a part
of growing up. They can also be critical incidents that
cause a child to view him- or herself as helpless or
powerless, to become fearful, and to develop
debilitating behavioral problems.In "Small Wonders:
Healing Childhood Trauma with EMDR, " Joan Lovett, M.D.,
shares engaging clinical stories -- mysteries involving
children who present her with puzzling and disturbing
behaviors. She imaginatively focuses her knowledge of
pediatrics, play therapy, and EMDR to alleviate the
real-life ordeals of real-life children.Featuring a
foreword by Francine Shapiro, "Small Wonders" is the
most comprehensive and insightful book to explore the
potential of EMDR for child therapy. This enlightening
book is intended for parents who are concerned with
having their children feel confident, for adults who
want insights into the way the events of their childhood
shaped their self-image, and for professionals who want
to know more about EMDR and how it can be adapted to
meet the special needs of traumatized children. |
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