It took nearly three months, but eventually, Noelle grew to trust her mother and interact with her on her own. In the summer of 2019, Roxana and Noelle were referred to The NYSPCC’s Therapeutic Supervised Visitation Program. During the first visit, the NYSPCC therapist recognized that Noelle was deeply traumatized, as she exhibited tremendous fear of her mother. When Roxana got close to Noelle, she waved her small arms frantically and ran from the therapy room toward her grandmother in the waiting area. Roxana responded by raising her voice and crying in frustration, which exacerbated the situation. Due to the severity of the case the frequency of visits were increased to twice a week. To alleviate Noelle’s fears, the NYSPCC therapist left the therapy room door open during visits, so that the child could interact with her grandmother as needed and feel more secure. The therapist also engaged Noelle in routine activities so that she grew to know what to expect. The therapist also helped Roxana to understand how Noelle’s trauma experience affected her emotions and behaviors and how to respond to them in a supportive way. The therapist explained to Roxana that when she raised her voice, it triggered Noelle’s fears. Over time, Roxana learned to be more patient, speak more softly, and not force her affection. It took nearly three months, but eventually, Noelle grew to trust her mother and interact with her on her own. At the time Noelle witnessed the traumatic death, she could not yet speak, and this tragic experience impacted her speech development. Noelle spoke very little during her first few months at The NYSPCC and had a hard time processing her memories and verbalizing her feelings. The therapist used art and play activities to help Noelle make meaning of her experiences. The therapist observed that Noelle frequently sang “Ring Around the Rosie” and would perform the end of the nursery rhyme by falling down and playing dead. The therapist encouraged Roxana to respond in a nurturing way, by reaching out to save Noelle. They also engaged in other healing activities, such as finger painting and reading, which helped this mother and daughter to bond. Roxana and Noelle were originally scheduled to complete supervised visitation sessions at the end of six months, but the therapist requested an extension through the winter. While Roxana and Noelle showed tremendous progress, the therapist explained the family would benefit from several more months of counseling and supervised visits. The additional months helped Roxana to grow more patient and nurturing, which helped Noelle to feel more safe and secure. The NYSPCC continues to provide support through supervised transfers and proudly observes their mother-daughter bond restored. *Names and image have been changed to protect confidentiality. G |
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