Younger Boy had trauma therapy this morning. I was FASCINATING. Really fascinating.
I think I mentioned Younger Boy has trouble sleeping in his bed and definitely under the covers of a bed.
This past week his homework was to get under the covers and think about how he feels and what it brings up in his mind. He was supposed to try to sleep under the covers in his bed. He was able to do it three out of seven nights. One night he slept on the couch (better than the floor) and the other three nights on the floor of their room...no pillow, no blankets.
There is something REALLY deep buried there.
Therapist D did EMDR to talk about sleeping and feeling safe. At the start of each two minute session she would say "you are in your bed with the covers pulled up" and she would start the EMDR. Every time he would end with talking about being out of bed and in another room. It was fascinating. He can't even allow his mind to think about being in bed with the covers pulled up. Therapist D noticed it, I noticed it, and so did their intern, P, who is using his as a test case for her masters. Therapist D told me it is typical PTSD, but what makes it even more complicated is while I can say it is safe for him to sleep in his bed the reactive attachment doesn't allow him to trust what I say and so while most children would take their parent's word...he doesn't. Doubly frustrating for me.
The topic of nighttime fire came up again. I need to check his history for fire. It is coming up OFTEN and I haven't seen a SINGLE THING about any fires in his past. He is concerned he will sleep too hard and not hear a fire alarm. Tonight he is going to go in his room and get under the covers with his fan on and door closed and I am going to test the alarm so he can see how loud it is. Hopefully this will calm some of his fears.
He mentioned sleeping too hard a number of times during the sessions. This is obviously a fear he has. Now to get to the root of it.
Praises for AMAZING therapists and insight. In dealing with these boys perspective makes all of the difference.
I think I mentioned Younger Boy has trouble sleeping in his bed and definitely under the covers of a bed.
This past week his homework was to get under the covers and think about how he feels and what it brings up in his mind. He was supposed to try to sleep under the covers in his bed. He was able to do it three out of seven nights. One night he slept on the couch (better than the floor) and the other three nights on the floor of their room...no pillow, no blankets.
There is something REALLY deep buried there.
Therapist D did EMDR to talk about sleeping and feeling safe. At the start of each two minute session she would say "you are in your bed with the covers pulled up" and she would start the EMDR. Every time he would end with talking about being out of bed and in another room. It was fascinating. He can't even allow his mind to think about being in bed with the covers pulled up. Therapist D noticed it, I noticed it, and so did their intern, P, who is using his as a test case for her masters. Therapist D told me it is typical PTSD, but what makes it even more complicated is while I can say it is safe for him to sleep in his bed the reactive attachment doesn't allow him to trust what I say and so while most children would take their parent's word...he doesn't. Doubly frustrating for me.
The topic of nighttime fire came up again. I need to check his history for fire. It is coming up OFTEN and I haven't seen a SINGLE THING about any fires in his past. He is concerned he will sleep too hard and not hear a fire alarm. Tonight he is going to go in his room and get under the covers with his fan on and door closed and I am going to test the alarm so he can see how loud it is. Hopefully this will calm some of his fears.
He mentioned sleeping too hard a number of times during the sessions. This is obviously a fear he has. Now to get to the root of it.
Praises for AMAZING therapists and insight. In dealing with these boys perspective makes all of the difference.
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