Respite can provide a necessary and valuable outlet for families.

Therapeutic respite is specifically designed to create a safe and supportive environment for children who have attachment challenges, are unsafe for other children to be around, or need to heal from their own childhood trauma. Time in respite provides a safe place for children to become vulnerable with the truth of who they are and be loved and accepted despite things they have done or secrets they have kept. They receive time and space to slow down and begin to process their emotions, whether those feelings are deeply suppressed or tend to emerge explosively.

This type of healing work offers several different types of respite that can be effectively tailored to meet your family’s unique needs and circumstances. Available options might include scheduled breaks for parents and siblings that can last anywhere from several days to two weeks, allowing for much-needed time to recharge. Long-term respite is a more specialized form of care due to the extended length of time involved and requires a wider care team for effective support. Any respite arrangement that lasts over two weeks necessitates the inclusion of a therapist on the team to ensure appropriate care.

During a respite stay, the child is granted the invaluable opportunity to engage in a brain-based approach toward healing the roots of attachment challenges. Through this process, the child will be given the opportunity to connect with safe adults and practice honesty, vulnerability, identifying their feelings, and heart-to-heart connection. Respite parents aid in processing these feelings, why they have them, and what they’re rooted in.