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Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an intervention commonly used to decrease symptoms of psychological stress, trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EMDR requires a client to access a traumatic memory including associated thoughts, emotions and sensations.
The client then watches the therapist’s fingers move rapidly from side to side for around 30 seconds. As a result, electrical energy is generated in the sensory storage, emotional activation and reasoning regions of the client’s brain. This appears to desensitise the client’s response to their traumatic memory, with negative associations steadily decreasing through repeated sessions.
While the length of EMDR treatment depends upon the severity of trauma present, it generally occurs over 3-12 sessions.
Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) is an intervention designed to improve the relationship between a carer and their child. It also assists carers to manage challenging behaviours. While a carer and child play together in a room, a PCIT therapist observes and coaches the carer (through an earpiece) to engage in therapeutic skills with the child.
PCIT is known as one of the most effective treatments for children with behavioural problems between the ages of 2 and 7 years. Usually occurring over 16-20 sessions, it teaches carers skills and strategies to improve their child’s behaviour.
PCIT is divided into two parts. The first part is the Child Directed Intervention (CDI). This focuses on enhancing the relationship between carer and child, increasing the child's self-esteem, reducing their frustration, increasing their positive behaviours and helping them with organisational skills.
The second part is called Parent Directed Intervention (PDI). This focuses on teaching the child listening skills, using safe and proven age-appropriate techniques to deal with their challenging behaviours, and problem solving ways to manage behaviours. This part more specifically focuses on decreasing challenging behaviours and increasing positive behaviours.
Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment approach that assists children and their parents or carers overcome trauma-related challenges.
TF-CBT focusses on assisting children to develop coping strategies for traumatic stress responses. It also seeks to reduce the incidence of depression, anxiety and challenging behaviours common in children who have experienced trauma.
TF-CBT is delivered to children aged 3-18 years, in weekly usually occurring over 12-18 weeks.
A child participating in TF-CBT has the opportunity to talk about their experiences in a supportive environment, and develop a trauma narrative. In doing so, the child’s brain starts to replace traumatic memories with more helpful thoughts about the trauma. Over time, reminders of trauma become less frequent and problematic for the child.
Tuning in to Kids (TIK) is a parenting program that develops the emotional connection between parents or carers and their children. Carers learn skills in emotion coaching, which includes identifying, understanding and responding to emotions in an accepting, supportive way. This approach helps the child to understand and manage their emotions. Tuning in to Teens (TIK*T) is a modification of the Tuning in to Kids program for parents of adolescents.
TIK/T is delivered to groups of 8-12 parents in 6 sessions, occurring weekly. For clients with higher needs, the number of sessions may be increased.
TIK/T teaches simple emotion coaching skills such as recognising and naming emotions, showing empathy and talking about what has occurred. The program aims develop emotional competence in carers and children, and reduce problematic emotional and behavioural functioning in children.
Mental Health Clinicians (MHCs) can help you to manage big feelings in a more helpful way. When people struggle with feelings that are overwhelming or scary, they sometimes do things they don’t really want to do. MHCs can work with you to understand and manage these responses.
What is a Mental Health Clinician? (PDF, 324.2 KB)
Speech Pathologists (SPs) work with the LINKS team to help you with your communication skills.
What is a Speech Pathologist? (PDF, 347.3 KB)
Occupational Therapists (OTs) work with the LINKS team to help you do things you want and need to do.
What is an Occupational Therapist? (PDF, 332.1 KB)
24 Oct 2023