“When children get help, they can express and process feelings and learn about healthy relationships.”
– Amy A. Watson, MS, LPC-S
Reflecting on what to share today, I am reminded that every day is child abuse prevention day in my work as the Clinical Director at Mosaic Family Services, training and supervising counselors and counseling students and as a therapist for foster and adopted youth and their families. It is never out of my mind and heart that our children are at risk of abuse, as I work with victims, parents, and families to heal from this trauma.
Child abuse prevention involves all of us doing something to protect children. Everyone can do something! It can be talking to your friends and families about parenting, connecting people to resources, and building safe and strong communities through volunteerism and awareness. It is not one person’s effort but that of a collective that cares about our kids and protects them.
In our clinical work, we see that early intervention and counseling for child abuse victims is critical. The sooner a child can receive therapy, the sooner they can heal from abuse, neglect, and trauma. Family work is a key to this. Children need to be with their parents and families in most situations. If our system in place to protect children could provide more relevant services to help parents struggling with domestic violence, unmet basic needs, substance abuse, and mental health issues to provide safety for their children, this could be a possibility.
At Mosaic, we strive to provide relevant services that break the cycle of generational family violence. We provide shelter, case management, play therapy, and individual and family therapy to help victims heal and become survivors and thrivers. Mosaic’s clinical counselors are specifically trained in trauma-informed approaches and various counseling techniques to understand the complexities of child abuse to assist children in healing and gaining coping skills so they can lead productive and healthy lives. Counselors also help parents impacted by violence work on their own trauma and then bring it all together in family therapy.
When children get help, they can express and process feelings and learn about healthy relationships. Early intervention is key to helping children overcome their past trauma and breaking the cycle of violence and abuse.
Amy A. Watson, MS, LPC-S
Clinical Director
