Chuck Nechtem, founder and owner of Charles Nechtem Associates, the 10th largest EAP in the US, recently said “If you have one adolescent mental health claim, you are spending $200,000.” That is a high price to pay for something that is, if not caused by, at the least exacerbated by stress.
I’d like to share some stories about children I’ve worked with.
A nine year old male with selective autism came to see me. He had never spoken to a teacher. As a tiny infant, he had endured an invasive medical procedure and was restrained but not sedated. His psychiatrist dismissed him after one year of visits saying nothing could be done. He came to me for three short sessions and was then able to talk with his teachers. This was wonderful for him since it allowed him to attend classes without a paid assistant being with him during the whole school day.
A 6 year old girl who had been severely traumatized when she witnessed the result of a violent crime came to me with nightmares, bed wetting, separation anxiety and acting out. She came for 2 sessions and was sleeping through the night, staying dry and stayed overnight with a relative without her Mom.
A bright young 12 year old girl was brought to me by her grandmother who was her guardian while the girl’s mother was in prison. The child had experienced all the stresses involved with living in a very dysfunctional family, so dysfunctional that her mother ended up in jail. She saw me for one session. A couple of weeks later, her grandmother went to a parent teacher conference and interrupted the teacher as the teacher was singing the praises of her granddaughter. “Wait. Are you talking about my granddaughter, Jodi?” “Yes. Something shifted recently and she is like a different child.”
How can changes like this happen? Having observed people who are especially anxious, it seems that the common link is that they have all experienced a trauma in their past and the anxiety they experience day to day is simply an exaggerated response to everyday stresses. By reframing the past, releasing fears, and asking the subconscious to communicate in a very gentle way, these changes happen. It’s a wonderful thing to resolve issues early in life from the standpoint of better parent/child relationships and a happier child.
Many of the suggestions I use are found in my recording called “I Am A Super Kid”. Or, if you are local to Greenland, NH, I can provide a private session for your child.
Atlantic Complementary Medical Solutions The recording is available on “Sound Mind Sound Body Corporate Wellness Plan”. You may check it out for free until February 18, 201. Log in as a member with user name of ACMSBlog password guest.
