There is renewed interest in the effects of chronic, overwhelming stress and trauma on children’s development. So-called trauma-informed care is emphasized more than ever. Yet, parents, educators, clinicians, mental health workers and law enforcement alike still struggle to understand the impacts of trauma on brain development in a concrete and tangible way. Perhaps even more so, adults trying to help these children and adolescents long for concrete strategies that operationalize what brain science tells us will be helpful to facilitate development arrested as a result of complex developmental trauma.
The Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) and Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS). NMT is a developmentally sensitive, neurobiology‐informed approach to clinical problem solving. NMT is an evidence‐based practice and not a specific therapeutic technique or intervention. It is an approach that integrates core principles of neurodevelopment and traumatology to aid in the selection and sequencing of therapeutic, educational and enrichment activities that match the needs and strengths of the individual. CPS offers an evidence‐informed approach to assist parents, teachers and mental health providers identify children’s skill deficits that lead to challenging behaviors. It helps adults teach children flexibility, problem solving, and emotion regulation skills.
