Building EMDR narratives with children and their adoptive families: integrating birth, foster and adoptive identities within a trauma narrative.
Overview
The presentation will aim to consider the trauma behaviours that present as part of tangled narratives in adopted children. Using the Adaptive Information Processing Model, it will help to disentangle mixed up thoughts, big feelings, and confused life stories to enable better connections and attachment with adoptive parents. Participants will learn to help to rebuild trust in the child/young person and the system around them.
Through utilising the wisdom of Joanne Morris-Smith’s, and Ana Gomez’s work and experience in working with this client group, the presentation will consider ways of helping inform EMDR Practice creatively in working with developmental trauma in adopted children/young people.
The presenter will consider the importance of targeting shame, to lesson behaviours arising as masks against shame, such as aggression, and/or sexually harmful behaviours, which threaten the safety and permanence of the adoptive family.
Aims and Learning Objectives: Please click here
Alice Hucker is a Registered and Chartered Forensic Psychologist, working in private practice in Lincoln, England. She previously worked within the National Health Service, leading a Forensic Child and Adolescent Service, and offering consultation into a Sexually Harmful Behaviour Service across Lincolnshire. Alice is experienced in working with clients of all ages across the lifespan – adults, children, and adolescents. Alice has provided assessment and treatment for Looked After Children, Adopted Children and young people whose behavioural difficulties have brought them into contact with criminal justice agencies or are causing them to be excluded from educational settings.
Alice specialises in Child Psychology and offending and behavioural problems arising from complex trauma reactions, attachment difficulties, and the links to externalised acting out of distress. She has extensive experience of working with adults with emotional/interpersonal problems linked to childhood, and accompanying risk related behaviours.
Her recent work in private practice has centred around working with adopted children/young people and their families, integrating Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapeutic approaches with EMDR to help build connection, attachment security and lessen disconnecting behaviours.
Alice is an EMDR Consultant who supervises groups and individuals in their EMDR practice and facilitates on trainings run by Sandi Richman (EMDR Trainer, EMDRIA, EMDR UK).
Alice has over 21 years’ experience working with clients within secure and community settings, and in her NHS role provided supervision, consultation, and service development.