Healing Trauma for Children and Families

Instinctual Trauma Response is an art-informed trauma recovery approach based on neuroscience. ITR resolves all types of traumas including complex post-traumatic stress and even pre-verbal traumas (in-utero to 3 years of age).  ITR focuses on treating the roots of trauma rather than just the symptoms.  ITR is the most effective intervention I have ever used and bringing this method to different communities will make them safer by healing children and inoculating future generations from the transfer of intergenerational trauma.   

Approximately four years ago, the Instinctual Trauma Response was introduced to a treatment program at Baltimore County Department of Social Services I was leading for children with complex trauma and problematic (offending) sexual behaviors and their families. The treatment outcomes were amazing. Children demonstrated resolution of post-traumatic stress symptoms which impacted recidivism rates (less than 2% for program participants) for continued problematic sexual and non-sexual/conduct-related behaviors.  Children demonstrated increased resiliency and protective factors. 

Just as impressive were the secondary outcomes in Baltimore County.  We saw reduced lengths of stay in treatment, less children in out-of-home placements, expedited reunification of families, improved parent/guardian-child relations, increased numbers of parents/guardians seeking treatment for their own trauma symptoms, and improved academic and community involvement.  

The ability for Baltimore County to offer an effective trauma treatment method also increased buy-in from community stakeholders (Baltimore County Courts, State’s Attorney’s Office, Public Defenders Office, Department of Juvenile Services, Department of Social Services and Police Department).  With increased confidence that children could be safely treated and managed in their communities, offending children were increasingly diverted from the juvenile justice system and relationships were greatly improved between families in need and the child-serving agencies.          

Since that time, ITR Training Institute has continued to provide specialized training to Child Protective Services and Foster Care Workers, Community Therapists, Police Officers, Firefighters, Educators, Attorneys, Pediatricians, and Parents in Baltimore County.  They have also provided trainings in other major cities including: Chicago, IL, Milwaukee, WI, Birmingham, AL, Kansas City, MO, Tallahassee, FL, Newark, NJ, Washington DC, and Alexandria, VA.    

The ITR Training Institute is committed to healing the world of traumatic stress with training, treatment, and prevention of traumatic stress injuries. Join us in helping the world become trauma-effective! Danni Davis LCSW-C