Member Article

Teenage abuse victims help develop PICT for children

Teenage victims of sexual abuse are helping to develop an innovative therapy to benefit other youngsters.

The young people have been supported by Imara, a Nottingham-based organisation that offers early intervention to families after a disclosure of child abuse. Staff have been using Parks Inner Child Therapy (PICT), a flexible and gentle visualisation therapy that addresses the effects of the trauma rather than focusing on the details of what happened.

Originally developed for use with adults, it’s proved so successful that Imara are now working with the creator of PICT, Penny Parks, to tailor it specifically to the needs of children. Director, Cath Wakeman OBE, says: “I’ve been working with children for 20 years and finding PICT was like finding the Holy Grail of therapies. “We’ve been using it here for 18 months and the results have been amazing.

“We repeatedly see children who feel the abuse was their fault. A key feature of PICT is its ability to change mistaken beliefs like this by asking children to picture themselves handing back the belief to whoever they learnt it from and seeing their younger self claiming the positive belief that actually belongs to them. It’s been a real breakthrough in allowing them to move on with their day to day lives.”

“Children often need simpler language,” says Cath. “Plus, ideas are easier for them to understand if there are pictures or images to go with them so we’re developing a handbook that works for them.

“Young people enjoy being involved and sharing their opinions. And with their input we know that we are making the right changes so we can help more children to recover from their traumatic experiences.”

Penny Parks has more than 30 years’ experience as a therapist, and is director of the Penny Parks Foundation. She developed PICT as a route to her own recovery from ten years of abuse between the ages of 2 and 12 years old.

“Cath and Imara are doing fantastic work with young people and I’m thrilled to see PICT evolve in this way,” says Ms Parks.

“We want it to be as effective as possible for children and their feedback gives us great insight.

“Every child needs to know that abuse wasn’t their fault and that they don’t have to live with the effects of it for the rest of their lives, they can recover.”

18 year old Joanna (not her real name) is one of the young people involved in the project. She was suffering from anxiety, panic attacks, flashbacks and depression after being abused as a child.

“I feel PICT has made a massive change,” she says. “I no longer feel distressed when I talk about what happened to me. It has helped me to understand about the abuse and who’s to blame - to feel normal and to know that none of it was my fault.

“I feel lots more confident. I’m loving my life and looking forward to each day. I would recommend PICT to anyone, it’s amazing, lovely work.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Kids MBA .