Helping Families Heal videos

Watch our free parenting support videos here. A parent who has adopted a child through Family Futures discusses parenting questions with specialists.

1. A conversation with Dr Dan Hughes, Clinical Psychologist and founder of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP)

Dr Dan Hughes, founder of Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) discusses techniques for parenting traumatised children, including: talking to your child about the past, helping your child make friends, working with schools, how to help a child who is shut down, getting beyond ‘blocked care’ and how sensory integration intervention can help a dys-regulated child.

2. Sarah Kerrigan discusses Theraplay®

How Theraplay® helps children who have experienced complex trauma is discussed with Sarah Kerrigan who is a Senior Dramatherapist at Family Futures and Theraplay Practitioner in training with intermediate status. Sarah demonstrates Theraplay games in a role play and explains: how Theraplay assessments and sessions work, how to integrate Theraplay games into your home routines, tips on how to modify for trauma and the best ways to find a Theraplay practitioner who can help your family.

3. Mandy Ruddock discusses Sensory Integration

Mandy discusses her work as an Occupational Therapist and Advanced Sensory Integration Practitioner at Family Futures, explaining how children with developmental trauma are much more likely to have sensory difficulties. What can parents or carers do at home to support their child’s sensory development and give them experiences they missed out on in their early years? How can you tell if the child you are caring for has sensory difficulties and needs specialist intervention? Lots of tips and ideas for providing sensory input and helping your child regulate their sensory system. If you are interested in training on Sensory Integration, Mandy runs courses for parents and carers and for professionals working with traumatised children.

4. Jay Vaughan discusses body-based self care

Jay and Angela demonstrate a body-tracking exercise, discuss body-based approaches to self care and the importance of self care for parents or carers looking after traumatised children. Recorded during the Covid-19 lockdown, the discussion focuses on the pressures of life at home and covers questions asked by adoptive families like what to do if your child doesn’t like doing the things you like to do, and what to do if you’re feeling stressed and think you’re going to blow it.

5. Dr Raja Mukherjee discusses FASD

Angela asks Dr Raja Mukherjee, psychiatrist and leading expert on FASD (Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders) about understanding what FASD is, what to look out for in your child, how to get a diagnosis and support, and how parents can best support children to manage symptoms. Dr Mukherjee gives helpful information about current support and resources available as well as new initiatives which will help support families going forwards.

Read more about Family Futures’ FASD consultation and advice service. Dr Raja Mukherjee is Lead Clinician at UK National FASD Clinic, Surrey & Borders Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

6. Stephen Mulley discusses self care ‘in the moment’ and regulation

What can you do in the middle of a meltdown? Angela discusses regulation and dysregulation with Stephen Mulley, Dance Movement Psychotherapist at Family Futures. As a parent or carer of a traumatised child, knowing where you hold tension in your body and how to regulate when under stress is an essential part of self care. Co-regulation with your child is also a vital part of the healing process. Stephen and Angela demonstrate ‘in-the-moment’ ways parents can regulate, and discuss physical responses to stress.

Webinars for parents and carers – click here

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