DepartmentPatient Resources Close [Back to Overview](/departments/child-witness-violence-project)## Explore department Request an Appointment ## Request an Appointment Request an Appointment ##### By Phone For general scheduling or help finding the right provider, call to speak to a member of our care team. ##### Schedule Online If you’ve already seen a provider in this department, you can request a follow-up with them in MyChart. [Schedule With MyChart](https://mychart.bmc.org/) Close Dialog Refer a Patient ## Refer a Patient Refer a Patient Hours of Operation: Monday - Friday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Phone: [617.414.7425](tel:617.414.7425) Close Dialog ## Child Witness to Violence Project # Patient Resources Explore Child Witness to Violence Project ## Understanding Trauma and Exposure to Violence Children exposed to violence and other potentially traumatic events is a national issue. According to estimates, somewhere between 33 and 55 percent of children in the United States experience at least one adverse childhood experience, such as domestic violence or community violence. Through decades of research, we now know that childhood exposure to violence and other traumatic events can have both short- and long-term impacts. Right after an experience of violence, you may notice changes to your child’s behavior, such as how much they sleep or eat. They may also have issues with friends or family and start to do worse in school. If these issues aren’t taken care of, there’s a chance that your child will have long-term health problems, decreased educational and job opportunities, and even early death. However, children are very good at recovering from trauma if they get the right support. When children get support and consistency after a traumatic event, their trauma exposure can have less impact. ### Recognizing the Signs After going through a scary experience, children’s behavior may change. Common signs seen in children who have been exposed violence include: - Changes in play, like recreating the traumatic events or playing less often - Worry and fearfulness - Overreaction to loud noises or sudden movements - Increased or constant worry about possible danger or the safety of loved ones - Increased activity level - Increased aggressive behavior and/or angry outbursts - Getting very upset when they need to separate from their caregiver (separation anxiety) - Loss of skills learned at an early age or “babyish” behavior (regression) - Showing no feelings at all or not being bothered by anything (numbness) - Headaches, stomachaches, or other aches/pains with no clear medical cause - Sleep problems, such as waking up during the night, nightmares, and/or fear of falling asleep - Loss of interest in friends, school, or other activities they used to enjoy It can be helpful to reach out for more support if you notice these signs in your child, if any change(s) seem to be getting in the way of your child being successful at home or at school, or if any of these changes have lasted for several months. ### How to Help After a traumatic event, it is important to remember that there are simple things you can do to support your child. These small steps can make a big difference in their lives. Here are some of the ways that you can support a child after a difficult experience: - Build self-esteem. Children need daily reminders that they are loveable, competent and important. - Give your child permission to tell their stories. It helps children to be able to talk about their experiences with trusted adults. - Give clear, simple explanations about scary events. Young children think differently than adults. They do not really understand the true causes of traumatic experiences and will often blame themselves. - Remember that healing begins with relationships. A helpful, supportive adult is the most powerful tool that we have to help children feel safe. - Help them know what to expect. Have rules and routines so that they can predict what will come next. - Take care of your own physical and emotional needs. Find someone to talk to in a safe, confidential setting about your worries. - Teach alternatives to violence. Help children learn to solve problems and play in non-violent ways. - Don’t try it alone. Just as children are not meant to make sense of these difficult experiences by themselves, caregivers also benefit from having support available to them. - Model nurturing behaviors. Caregivers are the most important people in a child’s life. Act as a role model for your child and encourage other important caregivers to do the same. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What does therapy at the Child Witness to Violence Project look like? Child Witness to Violence Project (CWVP) therapeutic services are tailored to meet the unique needs of each family. To begin therapy, you or another caregiver will work closely with your child’s assigned therapist to complete a comprehensive assessment, which usually takes about three to five sessions. The goal of this assessment is to gather information about your child, like their strengths, coping skills, and important relationships. You'll also get a chance to talk about any worries you have about your child. During this time, you’ll work with your child’s assigned therapist to create customized goals that will guide treatment. ### What happens next? Once you and your child’s therapist finish the assessment, your child will start therapy. Sometimes, the therapy may be “dyadic,” which means that you and your child do the sessions together. Although the therapy is still for your child, your participation is extremely helpful, as caregivers help therapists build trusting relationships with child clients. Caregivers also give helpful information that helps the therapist understand each unique child. ### Do therapists ever meet with children one-on-one? There are times, especially when the child is older, that therapy may be one-on-one. This means that the child meets with their assigned therapist by themselves. Although caregivers come to these sessions, we expect that you will still be actively involved in your child’s treatment and talk to their therapist regularly. ### Once the child starts therapy, what happens? At CWVP, therapy usually begins with an acknowledgement of what brings the child in for therapy services (e.g., “You saw something scary happen in your neighborhood.”), although this may change based on what we learn during the assessment. The therapist will use a variety of clinical techniques to build a relationship with your child and work toward their goals. Because we specialize in working with very young children (zero to eight years old), most therapy sessions use play. Play is often considered the “language” of very young children and is a very helpful form of expression for children to “talk” about their experiences. ### How long does therapy last? The length of time a child receives therapy depends on many factors, such as why they are coming to therapy, their past experiences, their age, and the response of their caregivers. For some children, therapy may only last a few sessions. Other children may be in therapy for a longer period of time. Our therapists will talk to you regularly about your child’s progress. ### What are the benefits of therapy? Families have reported several different gains from participating in therapy, including: - Decreases in their child’s concerning or challenging behaviors - Increases in a caregiver’s ability to respond to their child in times of need - Increased child and caregiver understanding about the difficult events that happened - Increased understanding about the child’s thoughts and feelings about the experience - Increased caregiver understanding of child development These gains happen as the caregiver, child, and therapist work together to build the family’s support system, identify strengths, and strengthen the child and family’s resiliency. Most of all, therapy is geared to help the child and family recover and heal from the challenging experiences they have been through. ### How much does therapy at CWVP cost? CWVP’s therapy services are entirely free. Your insurance will not be billed for therapy services. *This project was (partially) supported by MOVA through state investments, and/or a Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA) grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice, and/or the Human Trafficking and Drunk Driving Trust Funds.*