Many victims of abuse develop painful psychological symptoms deeply impacting their overall quality of life.  The emotional difficulties children experience after victimization are complicated, embarrassing and painful. At the CAC trained mental health professionals provide therapy so children might heal from these wounds safely, confidentially and healthfully. Therapists provide intervention that is child friendly and trauma-focused, ensuring our clients have the best chance for a restored childhood and even brighter future.

The majority of therapy clients are child victims, yet the CAC recognizes that abuse devastates not only the child, but also the family members, or secondary victims. Therapy for primary and secondary victims alike is a proven and critical part of the healing process. Therapists take care to provide this kind of holistic treatment so that the entire family is educated, equipped and experiences the real comfort of these words: you are not alone.

Therapy at the CAC is provided by full-time, licensed and board certified mental health professionals as well as supervised, master’s level student interns in the field of counseling psychology.  Therapists and student interns alike use evidence-based interventions to ensure CAC clients receive the highest quality of treatment. Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment and proven to be a highly effective intervention for victims of sexual abuse. The majority of sexual abuse victims have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and TF-CBT treats this diagnosis in the context of the trauma specific to our clients: the abuse

 The TF-CBT process is a dynamic one: it’s structured yet playful and directive yet flexible. In this way, we tailor a treatment soft enough for a child yet solid enough to produce results.  First, therapists educate the child on sexual abuse. Anxiety-ridden questions like: “Was it my fault?” or “Does this ever happen to anyone else?” and “Was it right for me to tell?” are explained and children are able to move on and process the abuse-related emotions.  Music, imaginary play and art are oftentimes the easiest way for children to ease into this phase, and therapists use our therapeutic playroom to help the child engage and express his or herself.   All the while, therapists encourage and gently require that children discuss their difficult story so that trauma-related anxiety and sensitivity might decrease. Finally, the therapist works with the child to articulate the specifics of his or her trauma. We call this the “trauma narrative.” When a child is ready to share the details of his or her story, he or she has reached the hallmark of the healing process: desensitization. What once made a child fall apart with fear has become a sad memory at worst and at best: a source of strength, courage, power and even hope.  In so many words- the child has become a survivor. Final therapy sessions are celebratory, and rightly so. After all, it has been a long road, the client has undergone total transformation, and most importantly, they have done it themselves.

 Therapy provides real and tangible healing for children and their families. At the CAC we are committed to evidence-based practice, high clinical standards and most of all, our clients. Indeed, they are some of the bravest people in the world.