2230 Hazel Ct.  Iowa City, IA  52240

PH: 319.430.4383 www.parentingadoptedkids.com www.aatcofiowa.com

Denise L. Best, L.M.H.C. Clinic Director

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I have been in private practice since 1996, was an excellent Play Therapist, and on the Board for the Iowa Play Therapy Association.  However, when my cases began transitioning to more pre & post-adoption issues, I began feeling less and less successful as a clinician.  So I went on a training mission across the U.S. to learn as much as I could about Reactive Attachment Disorder; I have trained at the clinics of Dr. Gregory Keck, Denise Lacher-Dr. Joanne May, and Dr. Bill Goble-Dawn Precour.  In addition, I have attended training with Dr. Daniel Hughes, Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman, Michael Orlans & Dr. Terry Levy, as well as many others.  I have also completed the requirements for a Level 1 Trauma & Loss Specialist with the Trauma & Loss Institute.  From these experts, I developed my own treatment protocol for attachment and traumatized children.  It has evolved over time, and I plan to never stop unraveling the complexities of these misunderstood children, and the parents who struggle so hard to help them heal. 

We consider Therapeutic Parenting to be the cornerstone of our treatment,

and in healing traumatized children.  Participants will gain new insight into

why traumatized children do what they do, and what to do about it:

 the entire afternoon is spent on Interventions.   

“Therapeutic Interventions for Traumatized Children” is a program

for parents & professionals who are still trying to find something (anything) that works for the difficult behaviors attachment-traumatized children exhibit.

• The first portion of the training is dedicated to developing a foundation of understanding what Complex Trauma is, how trauma and neglect effects the development of a child’s brain, so one can understand why, how and when to use the Interventions.  This is accomplished by educating parents & professionals about the impact of trauma and neglect on the brain, as well as the impact of a child missing critical developmental patterns/movement (this is probably the most common cause of the behaviors). 
• In 2008 we began offering Neurological Reorganization in our clinic; this shifted our treatment protocol dramatically, as well as some of our Therapeutic Parenting Interventions.  Neurological Reorganization literally shone a light in the dark corners of our treatment rooms.  We have found that the more parents understand the elusive “whys” of their child’s behaviors, the more effective, confident, and hopeful they become. 
• We parent to the emotion or unmet need is driving the behavior, not the behavior itself (compliance-based models do not work for traumatized children).
• My parenting program addresses these children’s high sensitivity to Shame; this is a critical piece to reaching a traumatized child, and helping them feel safe enough to heal.  Many other parenting programs do not recognize or respect this very common aspect of these children, therefore prohibiting the need for a sense of safety and security to heal.
• The parents in our clinic practicing Therapeutic Parenting report a reduction in their own stress by 70%.  When you feel like you have tried everything, and nothing has worked, this program will provide you with new information, a fresh perspective, and many, many new tools to use when you leave.