Trauma Focused CBT (TF-CBT) is often the most successful therapy for children aged 3-18 who are struggling with trauma. In 12-20 weekly sessions, children and their caregivers explore how trauma symptoms relate to past experiences and learn ways to cope with and manage these symptoms. Children and youth gain skills to cope with symptoms and retell the story of the traumatic event in a supported and safe way to process and work through it. This softens the power of the memory and the thoughts and feelings connected to it. The therapist helps to identify and deal with unhealthy beliefs connected to the trauma so they don’t shape the child’s future. TF-CBT also focuses on promoting the child’s future safety and development. Research has shown that this type of therapy is most effective if a caregiver or other supportive adult is actively involved.