Worried all the time
Exposure to domestic violence can be like living in a war zone. You never know where the next assault will come from and are constantly looking for warning signs. In addition, traumatised parents can find it challenging to support their children emotionally when struggling to cope.
Josh is the youngest of three children. His father abused his mother for years, and she hardly escaped with her life. Although they broke free of the situation, Josh and his family were not free of the trauma, and they were all troubled by distressing recollections day and night.
The long-lasting consequence of distress
Mum would cry whenever the abuse was mentioned and could not offer her kids the security and assurance they needed. As a result, the children, especially Josh, withdrew and suffered in silence.
When Josh came to Act for Kids, they all showed severe symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In addition, they were constantly on edge due to the extreme domestic violence they had experienced.
RebuildingÂ
Through intensive family therapy sessions with Act for Kids therapists, Josh and his family re-discovered their family strengths, abilities, interests and values, which helped rebuild their self-esteem, confidence, resilience, hope and pride. In addition, mum learned how to become attuned and attend to her children’s psychological needs, increasing their ability to turn to her for support.
Through art and talking, the kids could share their feelings, memories, questions, concerns and beliefs about their experiences of the violence and deal with their imagined and actual sense of threat that remained.
Early intervention makes a world of difference.
With the proper support and assistance, we believe that family relationships can be a source of true healing and repair and prevent children like Josh from feeling alone with his nightmares.
Thank you for supporting our vision for all kids to have a safe and happy childhood and a brighter future.
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