Tomorrow we visit LuLu’s trauma therapists again. She is chatting about it non-stop. It never ceases to amaze me that they come up with something that helps her; some tool she can use as she tries to self-regulate or re-frame her past and ultimately her view of the world.

We have a long association with these therapists, who specialize in attachment and trauma therapies. We have not seen them on a “regular” basis, the way one often thinks about therapy. But instead, have sought them out at various junctures of LuLu’s development, times when she’s needed them. Her recent blooming into puberty has unearthed even more pre-verbal trauma that needs to be dealt with.

Our relationship with this two-woman therapy team began in 2001, when I met them at an ATTACh conference and found out that they were about to open an attachment therapy practice in Atlanta. I was excited, because to my knowledge, there were no attachment therapists in Atlanta. Since then, I have met a few more. But, we (especially LuLu) have “clicked” with these therapists, so there’s no reason to change a good thing.

When I’m watching the therapy session though (and, by the way, parents should always be in the room and/or watching or participating in attachment therapy…it’s important), I’m thinking to myself, “Why does this stuff stick better when they tell her than when I tell her?” This question continues to baffle me.

For example, last week they led her through a process of naming the negative part of herself. She picked a very appropriate name. Then they showed her how to minimize this negative part when she felt it starting to grow. She’s been using that tool all week, with much success, much to all our delight!

Of course, I’m not clever enough (or trained either) to come up with something like that, but even if I was, LuLu would not soak it in from me like she does from them. They are, after all, in her mind -- the experts!

So today’s Love Thursday is dedicated to LuLu’s therapists, and to how much she LOVES going to see them!