The first topic is whether therapy is beneficial for children who’ve experienced childhood trauma. Firstly, in favor of this coping technique can help and guide children through pain, whether mental/emotional, physical, sexual and/or the substance use of others. Therapy can aid children in deciphering their pain while learning how to express themselves and cope suitably. Children with traumatic stress experience post-traumatic emotions even in situations when there is no immediate threat. This can interrupt a child’s normal development, but treatment helps reduce symptoms of traumatic stress and offers your child support and guidance as he or she recovers. (“NYU Langone Health”). An argument opposed to, therapy can possibly further damage a child’s well-being. Yes, it’s more likely that therapy will do good than harm. But the dark secret in the mental health world is that therapy can cause harm. People who’ve been to a bad therapist can tell you: bad therapy is worse than no therapy at all. A bad therapist can shut down your healing process instead of helping it along. (“Open Counseling”).
The second topic is whether therapy should be provided for children free of cost. Children are helpless, and most of the time do not have the funds for a happy meal, let alone a therapy session. We all need therapy although a vast majority of those who should be rushed upon, are those suffering in adversity due to the decisions their parents/guardians made. An argument in favor of providing therapy to children free of cost prior to and after a traumatic experience can help assist their navigation through life to be their best selves. All life’s tools and information are not within the home, we must also get knowledge from elsewhere. Especially when the home is the very place where the traumatic experience occurred. An unbiased nondepositional informant can be all that is required to help one in their healing process. An argument against this would be the official claim of lack of funds available to implicate such change. The amount of funds available is printable but it also fluctuates. There are more intense issues at hand that severity level may surpass all matters (childhood trauma) that do not display immediate results. Especially those results that do not affect us as a people, as a whole, it seems to be seen on a smaller spectrum. In my opinion, this is a case that is still looked at as an “individual” problem.
The essay will focus on the first topic and will argue that children who have experienced trauma will benefit from therapy. Kids need therapy when they have problems they can’t cope with alone. (“Nemours Kids Health”). I’d like to think having a trained therapist is better than taking a chance with a relative or a family friend. With this type of training being offered to children/adolescents free of charge will cause more people to step up and get the help that is needed to prosper, whether we have to pay or not (as adults). Therapy can be utilized as a form of release, which is great for anyone and children specifically. As adults, we are more so fixed in our beings and the way we are, whereas kids are more flexible with their learnings in their earlier years. This leads me to believe, the low self-esteem that can prevent one from speaking is the same esteem in a child that can be easily expressed, and ultimately changed.
This topic applies entirely to my degree program. With intentions of obtaining my Ph.D. and becoming a therapist, childhood trauma as it pertains to development is my main focus. Whether preventing or noticing signs after a traumatic experience, I want to be of great assistance to those who seek help. Great assistance also to those who may not recognize they may need some assistance as well. Witnessing how damaged some adults have become due to a traumatic childhood experience, has pushed me to obtain the knowledge to help and be the difference someone needs. Although becoming a therapist is not my plan, having the knowledge to help personally and professionally through my other areas of expertise.
I would like to specify this for an audience of parents and/or guardians and possibly teachers. As I feel those mentioned will find meaning and put the tools to use — immediately. Helping ourselves is the first step prior to effectively helping others. Gaining knowledge on the given topic can help the audience to dig deep within themselves, to discover something they may have thought vanished, or maybe failed to know existed. Healing ourselves will put us in better positions to be of service to others. This could potentially be a win-win scenario for the audience as well as the children affected by trauma.
Thank you for reading.
Quote of the Auracle: “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.” -Unknown
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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Photo credit: Susan Wilkinson on Unsplash
