Hello Therapist

24/07/2025

Parents, take note:

15/07/2025

For the foster families on here:

As a trauma therapist, I worked with a little boy who would become angry and withdrawn after every visit with his mom. His foster parent thought something must have gone wrong during the visit.

But nothing went wrong. What was wrong was the ambiguous loss that nobody was helping him work through.

He got to see his mom.
But he couldn’t go home with her.

This is called an ambiguous loss: when someone you love is still alive but emotionally or physically out of reach. Every visit with a parent or sibling reactivates that loss for children in care.

The child feels:

“I saw someone I love, but I can’t stay with them.”
“They’re here, but not mine anymore.”
“Maybe next time I’ll get to go home…”

Children don't know how to express this type of grief without the help of adults, so it comes out in challenging behavior.

That’s why after visits, you might see:

- Meltdowns
- Behavior regressions
- Sadness masked as defiance
- Clinginess or avoidance

Ambiguous loss is not a reason to avoid visits, but it is a reason why the child needs help coping with them.

Understanding the root cause of the problem is the first step, and helping children express it is the next step.

The ambiguous loss of "supported family time" (aka supervised visits) is why I published my book, Sullivan Goes to See Mama: A Story to Help Families Navigate Supervised Visits (available now on Amazon).

Stay tuned for more guidance on how to help families name and express ambiguous loss.

Over the next three weeks, I'll be posting more education about this topic on LinkedIn and in my Childhood Trauma Newsletter, which you can subscribe to for free at BethTyson dot com.

Thank you for the work you do to protect and care for children. I'm so glad you're a part of my community.

12/06/2025

Stress in childhood doesn’t just affect emotions—it can cause lasting damage to the gut and brain. Research shows that stress early in life, especially from abuse, poverty, or illness, can weaken the immune system, allowing harmful gut microbes to settle in. These microbes can influence brain development, mood, and even cravings for unhealthy foods. Over time, this gut-brain imbalance can lead to depression, anxiety, obesity, diabetes, and even faster brain aging.

The good news is that researchers have found that nutrition can help counter some of these effects. Omega-3 oils, certain probiotics, and polyphenols in fruits and vegetables all help reduce inflammation and improve mental health. Probiotic supplements not only help stressed children, but also new mothers—improving breastfeeding experiences and supporting babies' gut health. The Mediterranean diet and low-sugar, plant-based foods show particularly strong results. However, with major cuts proposed to food assistance programs in the U.S., many vulnerable children may lose access to this kind of healing nutrition—potentially worsening public health and crime rates in the long term.

29/05/2025

*Credit to the Institute of Child Psychology*

28/05/2025

23/05/2025

For all the kiddies out there struggling with peer relationships 🫂

13/05/2025

Did you know? You can lay a criminal charge at SAPS against your child's bully? Legalities explained below:

Bullying can appear in many forms, such as physical or verbal abuse. Learn about the consequences bullies face when criminal charges are brought against them.

11/05/2025

Happy Mother's day to all moms 🌸 you are shaping the future, and you are amazing!

05/05/2025

Monday Reminder 🤗

14/04/2025

Age 6 to 12 is a determining time for children, this stage of development is referred to as Industry vs Inferiority. During these years, children start comparing themselves to others and it becomes really important that they excel in a skill area, whether it be arts, academics, sport etc. If your young one is struggling with self esteem, this is a lovely visual activity to help boost their selfworth.

19/03/2025

21/02/2025

It's not a contract. It's a relationship.