Healing happens in communities.
– Dr. Frank Anderson
Therapeutic parenting and caregiving for a child with RAD/DTD can be one of the hardest and loneliest things a parent will do. Community care that focuses on supporting parents, facilitating the parent-child bond, and creating a safe, healing environment for the child and family is essential for children and families to find HOPE and HEALING.
Who is a part of community care? Everyone! Families grow and thrive in community. When extended family, friends, school staff, neighbours, community care workers, health and mental health professionals, church members, foster care and adoption advocates and agencies, and other trusted people come together to support a family, we create a world that has more empathy, compassion, joy, and healing.
How to be a community member:
- Offer understanding & support:
- Believe what parents tell you!
- Give unconditional support
- Know that parents are doing their best
- Learn more about RAD/DTD/trauma and attachment disorders & therapeutic care
- Don’t give parenting advice – give hugs
- Ask, “What can I do to support you today?”
- Offer emotional, mental, & spiritual support:
- Emotional health: show empathy & fill their emotional tank
- Mental health: lighten their mental load
- Spiritual health: share your prayers, hope, and faith
- Offer instrumental support:
- Meals, foods, groceries, gift cards
- House cleaning
- Yard work
- Support at appointments & meetings
- Flowers, cards, snacks, & coffee
Are you ready to be a part of a family’s community? Join an upcoming Therapeutic Respite Care Course to learn more about RAD/DTD and therapeutic care, how to best support families, and how to a create safe, therapeutic environment to promote healing.
DOWNLOAD The Impacts of Trauma and Use of TRTC PDF to share with your community to help increase understanding and support around trauma, attachment, and therapeutic care.
Nəc̓əmáat kʷən̓s čéʔi txʷək̓ʷám̓k̓ʷəm̓ səʔ cə ŋə́nŋənə ɫtə | Working together as one, our children will become strong