The Simple Guide to Child Trauma

In this accessible, enlightening little book, Betsy de Thierry recognises both the need to advocate for young people who have experienced trauma and to resource the adults in homes and schools who care for them. Emphasising the need for compassionate, relational responses to these often misunderstood young people, Betsy offers an array of practical strategies and insights to enable those responses, whilst conveying her core subject with confidence and clarity. An important, generous and timely publication. – Louise Michelle Bombèr, Strategic Attachment Lead Teacher & TherapistAs a parent myself I have found this book to be such a useful tool. To have a basic understanding of how the brain works has given me greater confidence as a parent in handling my children calmly and remaining empathetic even when I don’t always understand the reasons behind their behaviour. I value the comprehensible and practical tips that are listed in this book of how you can develop the connection and healing relationship with the child in your care. It’s beautifully written with such profound insight that is essential for any caring person working with children. – Dannii Gray, ParentThis book is easy to read using plain, clear language - free of jargon. It has really helpful suggestions that could be used in both professional and home settings. – Liz Hall, Parent and Police Child Protection Investigator and TrainerSimplifying and condensing the complex world of childhood trauma into tangible, easy to grasp terms, de Thierry shows her mastery of the field in this handy guide. Her conversational style translates the neuroscience of trauma into supportive, concrete steps that any helping adult can apply to the children in his or her life. Empathy for the reader and patience for these vulnerable youth are ever-present as de Thierry herself models the restorative power of relationships. Such a hopeful and comforting read! – Kendra Morris-Jacobson, Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center (ORPARC)What this ‘simple guide’ does elegantly and quickly is bring a large amount of research - from psychology, social work, neuroscience, biochemistry and genetics - directly to the busy but interested professionals, parents and carers working in this field. It translates complex ideas into ‘practice-rich’ language for adults who need to understand the inner worlds of children, rather than simply explore their ‘wishes and feelings’. – From the foreword by Professor David Shemmings OBE

Betsy de Thierry is a practising psychotherapist with over 30 years of experience in Complex Trauma & Trauma Recovery. She is the founder of Trauma Recovery Global, which provides training, consultancy, and partnerships with select organizations and practitioners to licence her Trauma Recovery Focused Model (TRFM) in 34 nations. She is also the founder of the Trauma Recovery Centre (TRC), a charity specializing in recovery from complex trauma, and the founder of CTRN (Childhood Trauma Recovery Network UK). Betsy is a qualified primary school teacher and a mum of four sons.

David Shemmings is Professor of Social Work in the School of Social Policy, Sociology and Social Research at the University of Kent. He undertook his PhD in attachment theory and has spent most of his working life in child protection. David was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list in June 2014 for ‘Services to Child Protection’.