Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy for School Psychologists

Abstract

Schools are ideal settings for identifying children and adolescents who have been exposed to traumatic events. They are also ideal for providing evidence-based mental health services, such as trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, to students affected by childhood posttraumatic stress disorder and co-occurring mental health and behavioral problems. Educators and school psychologists are uniquely positioned to educate school staff and families about child trauma and play a crucial role identifying and treating traumatized children in schools. School psychologists can (a) implement trauma informed screening to gain an awareness of child trauma, (b) recognize reminders that trigger trauma symptoms and identify ways to manage these triggers and responses in school settings, (c) facilitate a supportive response for traumatized students and families, and (c) provide trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy to children and their nonoffending caregivers in the school setting.

KEYWORDS:

• child
• family
• schools
• trauma
• empirically based treatment