trauma and loss for relative caregiving families brookdale foundation rapp webchat march 14, 2012...

Trauma and Loss for Relative Caregiving Families

Brookdale Foundation

RAPP Webchat

March 14, 2012

Deborah Langosch, PhD, LCSWJewish Board of Family and Children’s Services

New York City

(c) JBFCS, CTPI, 3-14-12

Webchat Content

• Principles and concepts about trauma and loss• Effective interventions and models • Enhancing the emotional well-being of

kinship families


Transitions for Caregivers•Role and boundary issues

•Quality of relationship with parent

•Sacrifices

•Ambivalence

•Rewards

•Family dynamics

•No nine month prep time!

©jbfcs, ctpi, d.langosch, 2010


The Grandchild’s Experience•Loss of parent/s and or siblings•Numerous changes and separation issues•Loyalty issues•Worries about permanency•Ensuing Feelings•Behavioral Expression•Developmental Differences•Perceptions based on learning, emotional and physical challenges


Loss and Trauma

All kinship families have experienced loss, but there are many different types such as:

•Separations•Trauma•Death•Ambiguous Loss (Pauline Boss, 2004)•Loss of dreams, hopes and ideals•Multiple and complex losses•Stigmatized loss

All of these circumstances can profoundly effect kinship families. (c) JBFCS, CTPI, 3-14-12

The Grieving Process

•Children and adults mourn differently.

•Loss of an adult child vs. the loss of a parent.

•Must grieve to recover from loss. Blocked grief = blocked recovery.

•Impact of repeated traumatic loss.

•Risk of increased depression, complicated and or prolonged bereavement.


Tension between Caregiving and Grieving

How do caregivers attend to their own feelings while raising their grandchildren?

•Adaptive Coping•Stiff upper lip/ John Wayne Stance•Finding time to grieve•Putting their own needs on hold•Fears of opening up the flood gates•Complicated coping


Family Secrets• Meaning/reason for secrets

– Wish to protect the child– Worry about disclosure

• Kids are quick to pick up on secrets

• Effect on them– Fears and fantasies– Disruption of trust

• Am I ready to talk about this?• Considering what child can hear

and what’s age appropriate(c) JBFCS, CTPI, 3-14-12

Interventions: The Three C’sAdapted from Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Childhood Bereavement Project

•Open Communication: Age appropriate and in pediatric doses

•Consistency: Need for predictability and safety

•Competency: Supporting the caregivers ability to competently help their grandchild


Treatment for Traumatic Loss

• Need to attend to dysregulation before doing grief work

• Teaching skills that include: feeling identification; relaxation techniques; and connections to feelings, thoughts and behaviors

• Then it’s safer to proceed with more gradual exposure to the loss


Kids didn’t like it when adults said….

• “I know how you feel.”• “It’s been over four months now,

you should be over it.”• “You shouldn’t be this angry. Being

angry won’t bring your brother back.”

• “You’ll get over it in time.”

Adapted from Fernside Online-Resources for Educators –www.fernside.org


Kids preferred it when adults said…

• “I’m sorry that Chris died.”• “I know it’s hard. It’s okay to cry.”• “I can’t know how you feel, but I

want to help you in any way that I can.”

• “I’m ready to listen when you’re ready to talk.”

Adapted from Fernside Online-Resources for Educators –www.fernside.org


Helpful Techniques

•Creating a safe place

•Use of cognitive behavioral therapy esp. for traumatic loss

•Expressive art therapies, such as art,poetry,music, drama, writing

•Destigmatizing counseling or therapy


How Can We Help?

•Psycho-education: Helping caregivers understand how children react and their behavior as indicators•Providing support•Utilizing a strength and resiliency model•Linking families to services•Information and referral•Advocacy•Empowerment


Services

• Evaluating the need for services

• Overcoming the stigma of getting help

• Cultural considerations

• Accessing resources

• Medicare and Medicaid availability for psychotherapy


Strength Model• Resiliency

• Developing adaptive coping

• Stress reduction/management skills

• Role of spirituality as a sustaining force

• Value of support groups

• Expanding support networks

• Self-care


Best Practice Models

•Brookdale RAPP grants

•Loss and Bereavement Programs

•The Ties that Bind

•Collaborative Approaches


Deborah Langosch, PhD, LCSW

Jewish Board of Family and Children’s ServicesNew York City212-632-4760

[email protected]

Project Director, Kinship Care Program

Chairperson, Brooklyn Grandparents’ Coalition

Co-Chair, NYC Kincare Task Force

Clinical Coordinator, Loss and Bereavement Program(c) JBFCS, CTPI, 3-14-12

trauma and loss for relative caregiving families brookdale foundation rapp webchat march 14, 2012...

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