Working here and now with the individual and family system: A case of a traumatized girl

From the moment of conception, each and every child lives and develops in connection with other people. Most children grow up in families formed by parent(s) and siblings, and relationships with them form an important part of the environment in which they develop. Interaction with parents and siblings affects brain development and the intrapsychic structures of the child. In the last few decades, knowledge of both normal and abnormal development of the human brain and mind has increased, revealing the complicated interplay of neurophysiology, emotions, and behavior within an individual as well as in interaction with others. In an attempt to address the challenge of working with various existing frameworks, in the Child Psychiatric Department of Tampere University Hospital, Professor Tuula Tamminen started a clinical philosophy called integrative child psychiatry . It includes looking at a child's situation from different perspectives and integrating data gathered into clinical understanding to choose the optimal treatment. In this article, I describe how I used individual child therapy, family therapeutic methods, psychoeducation, and some simple behavioral techniques in the treatment of a sexually abused girl.