Wellstop – New ways of working with inappropriate sexualised behaviour
Wellstop
The Challenge
How do we best work with traumatised children and youth who engage in inappropriate sexualised behaviour, but for whom traditional counselling doesn’t work? “Evidence-based brain research shows that traumatised kids are always operating in the fear state- they have no idea what a state of relaxation feels like. These children and young people have to learn how to relax before they can learn new behaviour,” says Lesley Ayland, Clinical Manager of Wellstop in Wellington.
The Response
Wellstop’s name sums up the organisation’s two goals: to stop sexual abuse and sexually inappropriate behaviour and to help these children and youth develop “positive lives that reflect wellness.”
Lesley says, “Because the brain can’t absorb information when it is highly stressed, we needed to find techniques and resources to bring into our agency to help these traumatised children and youth. We discovered we had to look outside of mainstream research and literature to find answers.” They found a range of alternative and holistic therapies and techniques, including biofeedback technology, which have led to some amazing results.
“These children don’t have control over their impulses. Biofeedback gives them a sense of internal control that they’ve never had before by tangibly showing them how tense they are all the time, so they can gradually understand how it feels to relax and learn calming techniques.” Other successful techniques include play, art and drama therapy. Treatment also involves working closely with the child’s family or whanau, and occationally, key people at their school. “It’s important to educate their parents and caregivers about trauma and how the brain works so they can understand their children and respond to them in a caring manner.”
How the Todd Foundation helped
The Todd Foundation provided funding for research and development to pilot these new techniques. “We really want to thank them – they got us going. The techniques work and we have created an education package for parents. We will be sharing our findings with our sector this year.”
What they say about it
“They are just awesome,” says a mother of two boys who both attended Wellstop. “I was really nervous about going but it was not what I expected – it was so much better! My boys really benefited and I can’t say enough good things about it”
