About Us
Welcome to our page! We are so glad you found us! Developmental Trauma Specialists (DTS) is a charitable nonprofit organization that focuses on helping families of children and children with developmental trauma (also known as reactive attachment disorder). What is developmental trauma? Explore below with our developmental trauma expert! We specifically equip families with valuable education, train them with highly effective tools, and connect them with community, so they are able to provide a safe, therapeutic, healing environment for their children! Our goal is a safe peaceful home for the entire family, while long term healing takes place. We work with families of all kinds, including: post adoptive families from private or domestic or foreign adoptions, pre-adoptive families in preparation of their new family members, second chance adoptive families, kinship or guardianship situations, grandparents raising grandchildren, families with multiples such as twins or triples or more, parents with premies or children with extensive medical trauma, that need help with childhood trauma and attachment work. Please contact us for more information, or check our EVENTS page for a workshop, conference, or retreat! We are here to support YOU! You are not alone!
Our mission is to educate families impacted by developmental trauma, and the professionals who support them, through innovative specialized programs.
Our vision is to renew hope by empowering individuals impacted by developmental trauma through education, resources, guidance, tools and community; because everyone deserves access to a life with connected relationships and healing.
The Effects on Families
Children with Developmental Trauma present challenges that are not typical in children who have experienced significant trauma in early childhood. As a result, not only is the traumatized child affected by these unfortunate events, but the entire family will feel the effects as well. The level of stress in the home tends to be high in all family members and at times, the family pet as well. Children with Developmental Trauma (DT), present behaviors such as difficulty bonding with parents or caretakers, showing little trust, especially in adults, create chaos when they feel too emotionally close or are triggered by something in their environment, and have a high need for control. Often other children in the family are traumatized by the behavior of a child with extreme behaviors and begin to act out or feel frightened during outbursts and chaos in the home. Without proper treatment for the child and specific training for the parents or caretakers, these behaviors can increase as the child matures and developmental milestones will be more difficult to manage.
Developmental Trauma causes the child to disrupt typical family routines, triangulate with family members, and superficially show respect and care for others in order to achieve a goal that they feel will benefit them. This high need for control is the most disruptive behavior that occurs in children with DT. Since these behaviors come from a lack of trust and a drive to survive in highly threatening situations, it is difficult for the child to distinguish between safe and unsafe relationships. It often takes years for a child to trust enough to let go of controlling behaviors and allow the adults in their life to keep them safe and provide for their basic needs.
For the above-mentioned reasons, parents and caretakers should seek quality training to assist the child in recovering from early trauma, find understanding regarding what they experience in the home, and to learn the dos and don’ts of managing difficult behaviors. Developmental Trauma Specialists was created by two experienced therapists who have worked and/or have adopted children with DT. Watch for valuable, quality events and training for parents and caretakers on our website.