Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
TF-CBT is an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents impacted by trauma and their parents or caregivers. It is a components-based treatment model incorporating trauma-sensitive interventions with cognitive behavioral, family, and humanistic principles and techniques. TF-CBT has proved successful with children and adolescents (ages 3 to 18) who have significant emotional problems (e.g., symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, fear, anxiety, or depression) related to traumatic life events. It can be used with children and adolescents who have experienced a single trauma or multiple traumas in their lives.
TF-CBT should be provided to youth who have significant emotional or behavioral difficulties related to one or more traumatic life events (including complex trauma); youth do not have to meet PTSD criteria to receive TF-CBT. TF-CBT treatment has been shown to result in improvement in PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety symptoms, externalizing behavioral problems, sexualized behavior problems, shame, trauma-related cognitions, interpersonal trust, and social competence.
TF-CBT addresses the multiple domains of trauma impact, including but not limited to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, externalizing behavior problems, relationship and attachment problems, school problems, and cognitive problems. TF-CBT includes skills for regulating affect, behavior, thoughts and relationships, trauma processing, and enhancing safety, trust, parenting skills and family communication.
TF-CBT should be provided to youth who have significant emotional or behavioral difficulties related to one or more traumatic life events (including complex trauma); youth do not have to meet PTSD criteria to receive TF-CBT. TF-CBT treatment has been shown to result in improvement in PTSD symptoms, depression, anxiety symptoms, externalizing behavioral problems, sexualized behavior problems, shame, trauma-related cognitions, interpersonal trust, and social competence.
Key components:
- Establishing a therapeutic relationship with youth and parent
- Use of gradual exposure throughout treatment PRACTICE components:
- Psychoeducation about child trauma and trauma reminders
- Parenting component, including parenting skills
- Relaxation skills individualized to youth and parent
- Affective modulation skills tailored to youth, family and culture
- Cognitive coping: connecting thoughts, feelings and behaviors
- Trauma narrative and processing
- In vivo mastery of trauma reminders
- Conjoint youth-parent sessions
- Enhancing safety and future developmental trajectory
- Traumatic grief components
Watch a video on childhood trauma here.