EarlyChildhood

Norton, B. et al. (2011) "Somatic Expressions of Trauma in Experiential Play Therapy" in International Journal of Play Therapy, Vol. 20, No. 3, 138 -- 152.

Researchers have found connections between animal and human responses to trauma that are important in understanding somatic (non-verbal) cues and conditioning. Some research has been done that shows parallels between animal behaviors and child behaviors in cases of abuse and neglect, although the literature remains scant. Children act out trauma in play therapy, resulting in a building of "trauma energy," expressed through movement in the discharge, or surge, phase. Following is the "soothe phase," in which the child becomes calm as part of trauma processing. As the authors point out, some severely traumatized children must undergo the process several times during treatment.

Thompson, E.H. et al. (2012) "School-Based Group Interventions for Children Exposed to Domestic Violence" in Journal of Family Violence, Vol. 27,...
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