Parenting is a tough job, and it becomes even more challenging when a child has experienced trauma in their life. Trauma can have a significant impact on a child’s behavior, emotions, and relationships. As a parent, it’s important to understand how to address your child’s needs to help them heal and grow. That’s where TBRI parenting comes in.
TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) is an evidence-based approach to parenting that is designed to help children who have experienced trauma. This approach is based on the idea that a child’s behavior is a reflection of their past experiences, and that by building trust and providing consistent care, parents can help their child heal and thrive.
Here are some techniques for TBRI parenting:
Empower your child
- Empowering your child means giving them a sense of control over their life. It’s essential to let your child make choices whenever possible, even if it’s just small things like what to wear or what to eat. This helps them feel more in control and can build their self-esteem.
Respond rather than react
- It’s easy to react to your child’s behavior when they are misbehaving or acting out. Instead, try to respond calmly and with empathy. Take a deep breath and try to understand what’s driving your child’s behavior. Responding rather than reacting can help deescalate a situation and build trust with your child.
Provide a safe and predictable environment
- Children who have experienced trauma often struggle with feeling safe and secure. As a parent, it’s important to provide a safe and predictable environment for your child. This means creating routines and structure, setting clear boundaries, and providing a calm and stable home environment.
Use playful engagement
- Playful engagement is a technique that involves using play to build trust and connection with your child. This can be anything from playing a game together to making silly faces. Playful engagement helps your child feel safe and connected with you, which can improve their behavior and emotional well-being.
Use positive reinforcement
- Positive reinforcement is a powerful tool for encouraging good behavior in your child. Instead of focusing on what your child is doing wrong, focus on what they are doing right. Praising your child for their positive behavior can help reinforce that behavior and encourage them to continue behaving in a positive way.
Practice self-care
- As a parent, it’s important to take care of yourself so that you can be the best parent possible. Make sure to take time for yourself to recharge and practice self-care. This could be anything from taking a relaxing bath to going for a walk. When you are feeling your best, you can provide better care for your child.
TBRI parenting is an effective approach to parenting children who have experienced trauma. By focusing on building trust, providing a safe and predictable environment, and using positive reinforcement, parents can help their child heal and thrive. It’s important to remember that this is a process, and it takes time and patience to see results. But with consistency and commitment, parents can make a positive impact on their child’s life.
In our office, we have therapists trained in helping parents learn these techniques for strengthening the parent-child bond, improving behavior and creating a happier home atmosphere. Articles that outline the Connecting, Empowering and Correcting principles dive deeper into the TBRI principles and strategies.
To connect with our office and a TBRI trained therapist, contact us directly at 512-651-1009 or visit us online and our care coordinator can match and schedule you to get help.
-Jenna Fleming, LPC-S, NCC
