Helen Mayo Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Conference · 2024
Enhancing Household Cohesion and Stability: A Systemic Approach to Trauma-Informed Therapy for Carers and Children
Presented at the 2024 Helen Mayo Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Conference in Adelaide, this session explored how family systems and trauma-informed practice intersect to support carers and the children in their care. The presentation framed challenges such as behavioural dysregulation, attachment disruptions and caregiver stress not as isolated problems but as relational dynamics shaped by past trauma and ongoing interaction patterns. Kökçinar and Nunn drew on broader trauma-informed and systemic approaches that prioritise safety, relational attunement and collaborative support for families experiencing complexity and distress.
The session emphasised ways therapists and practitioners can strengthen household cohesion and stability by attending to both the emotional needs of children impacted by trauma and the wellbeing and reflective capacity of their carers. The proposed approach prioritises validating experiences, building shared understanding, and integrating trauma-aware strategies to foster connection, co-regulation and resilience in family relationships.
Why this matters for practice
Reading behaviour as a relational dynamic rather than an isolated problem is the same logic that underpins our Positive Behaviour Support work, and our Preschool Boost: Attachment, Trauma & Child Development series for early childhood educators.
Full reference
Kökçinar, R. R., & Nunn, C. (2024). Enhancing Household Cohesion and Stability: A Systemic Approach to Trauma-Informed Therapy for Carers and Children. Helen Mayo Perinatal & Infant Mental Health Conference, Adelaide, South Australia.
This paper informs how we teach systemic practice at AkindaCo. See Family Therapy Foundations, our two-day family therapy training in Adelaide, or the rest of our conference presentations.