Working with Children and Families A...

Service Description

Abuse, neglect and exploitation of children result in serious health challenges and are widespread in South Africa. When a child or adolescent experiences sexual violence it can have a profound impact on core aspects of their emotional, behavioural and physical health and social development throughout their lives. Sexual violence against children and adolescents is shrouded in secrecy, stigma and silence. Too often it is viewed as a private matter, especially when the perpetrator is a family member.  This is why this approach of therapy with the family is so valuable. Given the association of childhood trauma with skill deficits, unhealthy decision-making and long-term negative health outcomes, early and effective mental health intervention is critical to their care. Up to now counsellors and parents have mostly been reverting to talk therapy to empathise and educate the client / child to gain insight. With the more recent understanding of neuroscience, we now know that the prefrontal cortex is offline when a person is traumatised and therefore talk therapy does not have full impact.

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