Youth Advocacy & Therapy Tips

  • Preset filter:
    • Publication: Youth Advocacy and Therapy Tips
  • All filters are available on the Resources page.
Why it is important to listen when children talk
WCSAP Webpage
June, 2022

It is a parent’s job to worry about their children — to ensure all of their needs are taken care of. But there is one need that we don’t always think of — in the hustle and bustle of everyday life and trying to make sure everyone is fed and clothed — and that is the importance of encouraging frequent and thorough communication with and from the children themselves. A key component of discovering, and putting an end to, child sexual abuse is disclosure. Disclosure is when child sexual abuse…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
Nonabused Siblings of Children Who Have Been Abused
WCSAP Webpage
May, 2012

Including siblings in treatment permits families to realize the maximum benefits of therapy for the victim as well as each family member.

—Baker, Tanis, & Rice, 2001

A child can't help being affected in some way by the sexual abuse of a brother or sister, but siblings' needs are often overlooked.

Nonabused children whose siblings have been abused may have to deal with:

  • confusion because adults do not…
Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Therapy
Fundamentación y Manejo de Ansiedad en Niños: Parte 3 de 3
WCSAP Webpage
March, 2022

Bienvenidos a la tercera y última parte de nuestra serie en Fundamentación y Manejo de Ansiedad en Niños En esta trilogía nos hemos enfocado en actividades simples y divertidas que usted puede hacer con su hij@ para ayudarles a manejar sus frustraciones y ansiedades. Estas actividades se han visto mucho más necesarias en esta época de pandemia, horas escolares reducidas, y eventos mundiales estresantes.

Este segmento se enfoca en ejercicios de respiración que no solo son fáciles a…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
Adultism in Advocacy
WCSAP Webpage
November, 2018

Adultism: Power and Control

Power is not inherently good nor bad, but it is used to benefit or target individuals along a spectrum of accessibility. We can easily identify ways in which racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, etc., manifest in our society, and how they might intersect with each other. We can also see how individuals and groups of people who have less access to power, or who are targets of power, are more vulnerable to sexual violence. Sexual violence is indeed about…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Anti-Oppression
WCSAP Webpage
September, 2016

Zootopia

The purpose of this tip is to help begin social justice conversations with kids (ages 10+) in the context of the film “Zootopia”. Often when looking for teaching tools to discuss social justice and violence, we go to educationally produced media. While these are often more intentional with their message, there is also a lot to be gained from utilizing pop-culture media. Although the film Zootopia remains true to the standard storytelling of Disney with the purpose of a feel good entertaining…

Topic
  • CSA Prevention
WCSAP Webpage
April, 2011

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is a therapeutic technique that helps clients to deal with trauma and disturbing memories. Developed by Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., in the 1980s, EMDR has been extensively researched and found to be an effective method of treating posttraumatic stress. The theory behind EMDR is that trauma memories must be disrupted not only cognitively but also neurologically, allowing the brain to handle past trauma in a different manner. EMDR is…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Therapy
Grounding and Anxiety Management with Young Children Series: Part 1 of 3
PDF
March, 2021

As we continue slogging through the “new normal” dictated by the ongoing pandemic, it is expected and natural that both parents and children are struggling with increased anxiety. This can be made worse by a forced lack of privacy such as, the whole family trying to work from home and/or do online schooling while in one enclosed space. In situations like these, additional tools for support are super useful. We will be focusing on a few coping strategies that are simple enough that even very…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
WCSAP Webpage
September, 2012

"For someone to heal from PTSD, one must learn how to control bodily reflexes. PTSD causes memory to be stored at a sensory level-in the body. Yoga offers a way to reprogram automatic physical responses…What is beautiful about Yoga is that it teaches us—and this is a critical point for those who feel trapped in their memory sensations—that things come to an end."

—Bessel van der Kolk, MD, Trauma Specialist

As therapists working with sexual abuse…

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse
  • Therapy
To Children’s Sexual Behaviors
WCSAP Webpage
May, 2014

Community sexual assault programs may receive inquiries from parents, caregivers, and professionals about how to understand and respond to children's sexual behaviors. It may be helpful to think about children's sexual behaviors as existing on a continuum — some sexual behaviors are healthy and normal, some are problematic, and others may become abusive. The resources below can help parents and professionals identify which behaviors are developmentally appropriate, which behaviors may be…

Topic
  • Parents & Caregivers
Brochure
PDF
June, 2022

This brochure is an easy reference to the basics of mandated reporting for Sexual Assault Advocates.

Topic
  • Child Sexual Abuse