Traumatic experiences can affect a child’s emotions, behavior, relationships, and sense of safety. Children and adolescents may experience anxiety, sadness, anger, behavioral changes, difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbances, or challenges at home and school following a traumatic event.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based treatment designed to help children, adolescents, and their caregivers process traumatic experiences, develop healthy coping skills, and move toward healing and resilience. TF-CBT helps young people make sense of difficult experiences while strengthening the support they receive from the important adults in their lives.

 

Who Can Benefit from TF-CBT?

TF-CBT may be helpful for children and adolescents who have experienced:
• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Neglect
• Domestic violence
• Community violence
• Foster care placement or family separation
• Grief and loss
• Serious accidents or medical trauma
• Other overwhelming or traumatic experiences

 

How TF-CBT Helps

TF-CBT helps children and caregivers:
• Understand the effects of trauma
• Develop healthy coping and relaxation skills
• Manage anxiety, fear, and stress
• Process difficult experiences in a safe environment
• Improve emotional regulation
• Strengthen communication and family relationships
• Build confidence, resilience, and emotional well-being

 

A Family-Centered Approach

Healing is often strongest when children have support from the important adults in their lives. TF-CBT actively involves parents, caregivers, foster parents, kinship caregivers, and other supportive adults throughout treatment.
This collaborative approach helps families strengthen relationships, improve communication, and develop the skills needed to support healing both during and after therapy.

 

What to Expect

TF-CBT is a structured, goal-oriented treatment that combines skill-building, education, trauma processing, and caregiver involvement. Sessions may include individual work with the child or adolescent, meetings with caregivers, and opportunities for families to work together toward healing.
Treatment moves at a pace that feels safe and appropriate for the child while focusing on building skills that promote long-term emotional health and resilience.

 

Benefits of TF-CBT

Children and families who participate in TF-CBT often experience:
• Reduced trauma-related distress
• Improved emotional and behavioral functioning
• Stronger parent-child relationships
• Increased coping and problem-solving skills
• Greater confidence and resilience
• Improved overall emotional well-being

 

Our Goal

The goal of TF-CBT is to help children, adolescents, and families move beyond the effects of trauma, strengthen resilience, improve emotional well-being, and create a foundation for lasting healing and growth.
Strengthening Hope. Restoring People. Through compassionate support, caregiver involvement, and evidence-based treatment, children and families can move forward with greater confidence, connection, and hope.