Arianne Struik

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Arianne Struik

My name is Arianne Struik and I’m a clinical psychologist/ family therapist and EMDR consultant.

The Institute for Chronically Traumatized Children (ICTC), founded by Arianne Struik, provides training, supervision, consultation, and research on the treatment of chronically traumatized children and their families. After working in child and adolescent psychiatry for 20 years in the Netherlands, where I developed the award-winning Sleeping Dogs method to motivate children that are unable or unwilling to engage in trauma treatment, I became director of the Institute for Chronically Traumatized Children (ICTC). We started in Perth, WA, and moved to Agnes Water QLD Australia in 2019.

15/01/2026

Exciting News – Book Chapter Alert!
I'm proud to share that Sarah Schubert https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-schubert-b3516b263/invited us to contribute a chapter to the upcoming Oxford Handbook of EMDR — an essential new reference for EMDR clinicians worldwide.

Together with the brilliant minds of Carlijn de Roos, Renee Beer and Marianne Went, we’ve written a chapter on:

✨ EMDR for preverbal trauma in children

This topic is often overlooked but critically important.
How do we treat trauma that occurred before memory was verbal or conscious?
This chapter explores how EMDR can help reach and resolve these early wounds.

📖 This chapter of the handbook is available online via Oxford University Press:
https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdoi.org%2F10.1093%2Foxfordhb%2F9780192898357.013.22&data=05%7C02%7C%7C88a8078de9a549b17b0f08ddf3404963%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638934179945998428%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=S92Ghf7CMr0Zn4cDCj9Pe0QQ8quIy925o8v9jL7qDtw%3D&reserved=0

I'm honoured to be part of this important contribution to the field—and can’t wait for you to read it!

12/01/2026

Victims—and Architects—of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

Children with oppositional or aggressive behaviour are often not just “acting out.”
They’re reacting to adversity.

Harsh, inconsistent parenting is a known contributor to these behaviours. But here’s the heartbreaking cycle:
➡️ The child’s behaviour intensifies
➡️ Parents respond with even more harshness or unpredictability
➡️ The cycle escalates

In a powerful commentary, David Hawes (2023) builds on research by Nobakht et al. (2023), describing these children as both victims and architects of ACEs.
Not because they choose trauma—but because their behaviour unintentionally shapes the dynamics that hurt them further.

📖 A must-read for anyone working with children and families:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38425092/

Let’s break the cycle—with understanding, support, and trauma-informed care. 💙

07/01/2026

Why Holidays Matter When You Work with Trauma 💙

Working with trauma means holding space for pain, complexity, and deep human suffering.

But your body wasn’t built to carry it all without pause.
You need time to rest. To breathe. To feel sunshine on your face without urgency.

🌿 Fishing.
🌊 Swimming.
🔥 Camping under the stars.
📚 Reading with no goal but pleasure.

All of these are medicine too.

🧠 Recovery is essential, not optional, when your nervous system is your most important tool.

Take the break. Protect your energy. Come back restored. For them, and for you.

05/01/2026

It’s (Almost) Here! 🚨

A new milestone in trauma treatment for children and adolescents…

I’m thrilled to share that I’ve written two chapters for the upcoming Oxford Handbook of EMDR with Children and Adolescents — one on the Sleeping Dogs Method, and one on EMDR with dissociative disorders, together with the brilliant Kirsten Hauber.

We’re currently reviewing the final proofs, and it’s dropping soon!
Official publication: February 2026

This work draws on the latest research and brings innovative insights into how we treat complex trauma in young people — from resistance and dissociation to healing and reconnection.

It’s been a huge honour to contribute to this important volume, and I can’t wait for you to read it. 💙

Stay tuned for sneak peeks, and let me know if you’re curious about specific topics covered.

01/01/2026

Some kids won’t talk about their trauma. Others can’t. But ignoring it won’t make it go away.⁠
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The Sleeping Dogs Method helps children safely face their trauma, even when they resist, dissociate, or stay silent.⁠
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What’s inside the updated edition:⁠
🐾 Step-by-step guide to trauma treatment⁠
👥 Tools to work with families — even complex ones⁠
📄 Real-life cases + printable worksheets⁠
🏡 New chapters on foster care & intellectual disability⁠
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For therapists, foster carers, and trauma professionals who are ready to go deeper, safely.⁠
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Get the book:⁠
https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B07RZM6XPS/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=247&creative=1211&creativeASIN=B07RZM6XPS&linkCode=as2&tag=ariannnestrui-22&linkId=633be42cd150c79da8f991312930427f⁠
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30/12/2025

Last chance to Join me live in Denmark for Sleeping Dogs Level II 🇩🇰🐾⁠
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🎯 A hands-on, in-depth training designed for experienced professionals.⁠
📍 Køge, Denmark (just 35 minutes from Copenhagen)⁠
🗓️ 22–23 January 2026⁠
🎟️ Limited spots available⁠
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Hosted by: Familiens Anker⁠
📌 Prerequisite: Completion of Sleeping Dogs Level I⁠
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Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn face-to-face with me while enjoying the beauty of Denmark in winter.⁠
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Register here: https://familiensanker.dk/event/sleeping-dogs-level-ii/⁠
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23/12/2025

Sleeping Dogs level l Workshop – Copenhagen 2026⁠
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Working with children who won’t talk about trauma, avoid therapy, or dissociate?⁠
They’re not resistant—they’re protecting themselves.⁠
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Learn how to safely prepare them for trauma treatment using the Sleeping Dogs Method.⁠
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👩‍🏫 2-day in-person training⁠
📍 Jan 19–20, 2026 | Kosmopol Konferencecenter, Copenhagen⁠
📘 Includes the book Treating Chronically Traumatized Children⁠
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✅ Understand blocks to therapy⁠
✅ Work with complex families⁠
✅ Prepare children for EMDR/TF-CBT⁠
🎥 Real cases, practical tools, hands-on learning⁠
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📩 Register: info@safechildren.dk⁠
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Let’s stop avoiding trauma—and start healing it. 💙⁠
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22/12/2025

"Why don’t they cut contact?”

Because for a child, any connection is better than no connection.

Children are wired to attach — even when the caregiver is abusive. They’ll blame themselves before they blame their parent. They’ll protect the abuser rather than risk being alone.

Loyalty in these situations isn’t a choice — it’s survival.

If we want to help, we must first understand. Respond with compassion, not judgment. Rebuild trust, don’t demand it. And never ask a child to sever the only bond they know, before offering something better.

17/12/2025

Not all wounds are visible.⁠
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Children who grow up without emotional validation—who aren’t comforted, seen, or heard—can carry invisible scars into adulthood.⁠
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These children often:⁠
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- Struggle with self-worth⁠
- Suppress their emotions⁠
- Feel like a burden when they express needs⁠
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👉 Emotional neglect is trauma.⁠
Healing starts when we begin to notice what didn’t happen.⁠
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16/12/2025

Zoning out. Daydreaming. Going blank in therapy.

When children dissociate, they’re not being defiant or inattentive—
They’re protecting themselves.

Dissociation is the brain’s survival response to overwhelming stress.
Instead of punishment, children need grounding, connection, and safety.

Let’s respond with compassion, not correction.

11/12/2025

When a child has been hurt, the instinct is often to protect them by avoiding the person who caused the trauma.⁠
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But for many children, especially those harmed by family members, avoidance doesn’t bring peace. It keeps the fear alive.⁠
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Restorative justice viewpoints offer another path.⁠
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This research-based approach helps children move from fear to empowerment through safe, supported, trauma-informed steps that allow for understanding, closure, and even reconnection when possible.⁠
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I’ve witnessed how even in deeply complex cases—like intra-familial abuse. This process can unlock healing in ways traditional avoidance cannot.⁠
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🛑 It’s not about forcing contact.⁠
✅ It’s about offering choice, structure, and support.⁠
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Let’s rethink what safety and healing can look like.⁠
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08/12/2025

Sleeping Dogs Level II – Face-to-Face Workshop in Denmark 🇩🇰

📅 22–23 January 2026
📍 Køge (35 min from Copenhagen)

Hosted by: Familiens Anker

Have you trained in the Sleeping Dogs method, but still find it challenging to apply in complex real-life situations?

This advanced, in-person training helps you deepen your skills in working with children impacted by chronic trauma, neglect, and dissociation—especially when parents carry their own trauma histories.

You’ll practise how to:

- Engage avoidant or resistant parents
- Navigate guilt, denial, or shame
- Plan trauma treatment when the parent has PTSD, substance use, or developmental issues
- Use compensation plans when parenting capacity is limited
- Talk about abuse—even when it’s disputed

This highly practical 2-day workshop includes roleplays, case work, peer learning, and video analysis.

🎓 Requirements:
✔️ Completed Level I training (online or in-person)
✔️ Read Treating Chronically Traumatized Children (Struik, 2019)

💬 Want to feel more confident and creative in complex cases?
Join us live in Denmark and strengthen your practice.
🔗 https://familiensanker.dk/event/sleeping-dogs-level-ii/

Address

PO Box 407, Agnes Water
Brisbane, QLD
4677

Website

https://ariannestruik.com/

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