Further damage to already fragile children

In a Sept 8th NYTimes article, A Terrifying Way to Discipline Children, we are reminded that children that are often times diagnosed with trauma, attachment and other developmental disorders can be vulnerable to further abuse by various systems. These fragile youth, whom at times can have some very challenging behaviors, can be the victims of policies and procedures that at times are created to "provide reduced stimulation" or "protect them from themselves" but very quickly become just another form of abuse. 

Bill Lichenstein in his article lays out instances when restraints and isolation are being used in modern day schools leading to horrible results with further traumatization to students. Additionally, school systems are being sued for their use of these methods.  Growing up in Colorado, our school systems used corporal punishment on it students for behavior that was deemed problematic. When I was reading this article it brought back memories of students that were "swatted" by principals and/or teachers using a large wooden paddle to spank children for their behavior.  These children often remarked about how it left long term marks emotionally, but equally damaged their relationships with their authority figures resulting in longer term problems for students not being able to trust those in power.

What we know about trauma and attachment, it is often too common that systems and individuals reenact abuse with people that have preexisting trauma and attachment disruptions. Trauma is characterized by cyclical patterns that reoccur over and over in a person's life because trauma is a evolutionary looping and stuck pattern in our brains. Additionally, we all form our bonds with others based upon our patterns of "attachment" which grows out of the foundation of connection and relationship with parents.  Many children that struggle with various emotional and psychological problems, we know are directly related to their insecure attachments that they have with others. Insecure attachments are often based upon the premise that others around us are not nurturing enough or safe enough so as a result of these underlying definitions it is reenacted in relationships, around them, such as teachers and school staff. 

At Get Connected Counseling, we hope to help people and systems understand trauma and attachment so we can be better informed thus not having these destructive events continue to occur.  We believe that when we are better trauma and attachment informed then we can avoid making these mistakes that further damage already struggling individuals.

Jeff Ryan, LPCIT, CSAC
Therapist
Get Connected Counseling, LLC
Appleton, WI
920-750-6120