Attachment and Adoption Todd Nichols Family Attachment and Counseling Center of Minnesota.
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Transcript of Attachment and Adoption Todd Nichols Family Attachment and Counseling Center of Minnesota.
Enhances Optimal Development
A child is most likely to reach her full potential if she experiences consistent, predictable, enriched, and stimulating interactions in a context of attentive and nurturing relationships.
Bruce Perry, MD, PhDchildtraumaacademy.org/Documents/McCainLecture_2005.pdf
Important Points About Attachment
Consistency and emotional availability from attachment figures are critical
Child develops expectations about the dependability of attachment figures to provide comfort, support and nurture in times of need
Attachment experiences inform child’s developing model of relationships, self, and how the world works
Development of Attachment
Orientation/limited discrimination (0-2 mos) Discrimination/limited preference (2-7 mos) Hierarchy of preferred caregivers (7-12 mos) Secure base (12-20 mos) Goal corrected partnership (20-36 mos)
Charles Zeanah, MDwww.infantinstitute.org
What Can Contribute to Attachment Problems?
Abuse Neglect Emotionally unavailable caregiving Institutionalization (orphanages) Other
Attachment Classifications Secure attachment
Sensitive care - felt security - confident and connected
Insecure attachment Anxious Resistant
Erratic care - preoccupied, hesitant - anxious, dependent
Anxious Avoidant Unresponsive care - distant, flat - aggressive, lack empathy
Disorganized Threat from caregiver - confused, anxious - dissociation
Martha Farrell Erickson, PhDwww.cmh.umn.edu/docs/EricksonPPWkshp1.pdf
Disorders of Attachment
Secure base distortions Disorders of non attachment Reactive Attachment Disorder
Attachment Repair For a child with attachment damage adoption is a
tremendous intervention, but love is not always enough.
Child bring expectations, fears, behavioral patterns, and coping capacities learned from previous caregiving relationships into new adoptive relationship.
Even safe and sensitive caregiving may generate feelings of anxiety and fear.
Attunement
The ability of a parent to accurately read the emotional state and motivations of his or her child and appropriately meet the child's needs.
Regulation
A person's ability to calm-to regulate body, emotions, and states of mind. Parents help children to regulate.
Ways to Help Regulate Consistency
Routines, Rituals, and Daily Care
Discipline Support managing environments outside the home
School
Movement Touch Medication Nutrition
Tools to Attune and Regulate
Learning and utilizing therapeutic tools
Stories: Family Attachment Narrative Therapy
Play: Attachment play & reflective techniques
Sometimes, professional help is needed
Development
Meanin
g
Attachment
Life Events
DevelopmentSuccessful Child
Claiming
Trauma
Narrative Types Inner Working ModelSpheres
Shifting Model with Narratives
Importance of Play It is the vehicle in which a child communicates his
feelings, thoughts and beliefs
Assists the child in mentalizing (the ability to regulate, think, and envision) which is the primary function in the development of self or personality
Serves the function of regulation and mastery
Additional Resources Publications (available at website)
Parenting with Stories: Creating a foundation of attachment for parenting your child
Connecting with Kids through Stories: Using narratives to facilitate attachment in adopted children
DVD-First Steps for Strengthening Adoptive Families: Tools and techniques for meeting the needs of your adopted child
Speaking and training
Website: www.familyattachment.com