Our Approach

Because trauma is stored in the nervous system and sensory parts of ht brain ATTCH Niagara uses integrative 'bottom up' techniques to regulate the body and the mind simultaneously. The primary approach used is the Integrative Trauma and Attachment Treatment Model (ITATM)®. ITATM is a trauma-specific model that layers in sensory processing, art, breath work, somatic therapies, embodied awareness, toning and movement, bilateral stimulation, resource installation, parts work integration, and amygdala reframing messages allowing clients to move through the intensity of their experiences in a safe, structured and supported manner. Approaches focus on increasing integration between the right and left hemispheres to help individuals learn to embody their emotions in a way that is safe and manageable allowing for self-reflection and a greater sense of agency. Working with children ATTCH Niagara offers creative approaches to treatment of trauma and attachment dysregulation including use of sand, art, play, story telling, guided imagery, and therapeutic games.  ​

Our Services

Integrative Trauma and Attachment Treatment Model (ITATM)® - ITATM is a trauma-specialized treatment model for working with complex trauma. ITATM is an embodied model for reprocessing and reappraisal of the central details of trauma memories using somatic release, bilateral stimulation, visualization, resourcing and reframing in an integrative and structured manner to regulate the body, brain and mind simultaneously in a neurosequential way. With our model we get into the processing and rather quickly however we do work with one trauma at a time to prevent flooding. Because neurons fire together and wire together and group in neural networks we also do not need to process every experience of trauma. Processing the most charged (and often earliest experiences) will often generalize to other more recent experiences through the benefit of generalizing / memory chaining. Making the model much more accelerated with most people requiring an average of 20-30 sessions rather than several years of therapy. 

Art and play focused therapy - ATTCH Niagara., offers an assortment of creative modalities to treatment for all ages inclusive of sand tray, sculpting, painting, mask making, and play focused therapy to promote sensory based healing. Art provides a powerful means for children and youth to express their feelings and emotions through an image or creation. This approach encourages self-discovery, personal expression, and healing. Projects might involve use of methods such as painting, sculpting, drawing, and the development of personalized creations. Upon completion creations are explored according to the perspective of the client that created them to allow insight into the symbolism behind their creations. The photo (above) is of a worry creature.  ATTCH Niagara therapists have also completed Theraplay training to learn how to promote healthy connection and attachments within families, foster families, and adoptive families.

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