Behind the Episode: Practical for Your Practice: Reclaiming Power with Scooby Snacks: Nightmare Rescripting Therapy for Youth
Scooby Snacks, lemon squeezing, and pillowcase drawings…..these are not what I typically envision when implementing EBPs. But then again, I tend to work with adult clients who are likely to run out of my office if I encourage them to wield dog treats while facing their fears. Working with children requires a different approach and benefits from unbridled creativity.
Listen to the full discussion here: Reclaiming Power with Scooby Snacks - Nightmare Rescripting Therapy for Youth
On this episode of Practical for Your Practice, we discuss an evidence-based approach for working with nightmares in children and adolescents. All of us probably remember having an occasional nightmare during childhood, possibly after watching a scary movie or TV show. While the occasional nightmare is no cause for concern, frequent and/or recurring nightmares can require professional attention.
There are several factors that may contribute to frequent nightmares in childhood. These include:
- Prolonged stress or anxiety, such as in response to family discord, difficulties at school, or separation anxiety
- Exposure to traumatic events, such as natural disasters or abuse
- Underlying mental health issues such as depression or anxiety disorders
Notably, some of these factors may be more likely to be experienced by children from military families. For example, children may be physically separated from a deployed family member for months at a time. They may also experience significant anxiety about frequent relocations and struggle to adapt to new schools. Of course, they may also be worried about the safety of their Active Duty parent as they serve in various roles.
Fortunately, researchers and clinicians are refining an existing cognitive behavioral treatment for use with children and adolescents. Exposure, Relaxation, and Rescripting Therapy (ERRT) has been used effectively for years with adults, both in civilian and military populations. Briefly, it consists of the following interventions:
- Exposure: The patient describes the content of their nightmares in a controlled and safe environment. This helps to reduce the fear and emotional response associated with the nightmares.
- Relaxation: Techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery help the patient relax and manage anxiety and stress associated with nightmares.
- Rescripting: Patients are provided psychoeducation about dreams and how they can be influenced by thoughts and behaviors during waking hours. Patients are then guided to change the storyline of their nightmares into a less distressing version. Rehearsing the new script helps reduce the frequency and/or intensity of nightmares.
Our guest on this episode of Practical for Your Practice, Dr. Shantel Fernandez Lopez, is one of the developers of ERRT for children and adolescents. She talks with Jenna and Carin about her clinical experiences and how children’s natural creativity can be harnessed in ERRT. While adults may depend on squeeze balls to reduce stress, kids can apply the skills to whatever is lying around, including lemons! Of course, working with kids also means working with their caretakers, so Dr. Fernandez Lopez also shared some tips on how to engage family members in this valuable treatment. But perhaps the best reason to tune into this episode is to find out how Scooby Snacks can play a role in nightmare reduction!
Check out this episode of Practical for Your Practice here! And if you like what you hear, join us for P4P’s upcoming “Live” episode! On Aug 13, 2024 1000-1200 Eastern, you can be part of the conversation and the podcast! Have a question for our hosts? Reactions to previous episodes? Want to share your “What is your why?” origin story? Give us a call at 301-715-8592, code 4878058925#. If you can’t call us at that time, you are welcome to leave us a voice-mail message at speakpipe.com/cdpp4p or send us an email at cdp-podcast-ggg@usuhs.edu. The episode will not be broadcast live, but will be recorded and edited before release.
The opinions in CDP Staff Perspective blogs are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Science or the Department of Defense.
Carin Lefkowitz, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist and Senior Military Behavioral Health Psychologist at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Lefkowitz earned her M.A. and Psy.D. in clinical psychology at Widener University, with a concentration in cognitive-behavioral therapy.
Scooby Snacks, lemon squeezing, and pillowcase drawings…..these are not what I typically envision when implementing EBPs. But then again, I tend to work with adult clients who are likely to run out of my office if I encourage them to wield dog treats while facing their fears. Working with children requires a different approach and benefits from unbridled creativity.
Listen to the full discussion here: Reclaiming Power with Scooby Snacks - Nightmare Rescripting Therapy for Youth
On this episode of Practical for Your Practice, we discuss an evidence-based approach for working with nightmares in children and adolescents. All of us probably remember having an occasional nightmare during childhood, possibly after watching a scary movie or TV show. While the occasional nightmare is no cause for concern, frequent and/or recurring nightmares can require professional attention.
There are several factors that may contribute to frequent nightmares in childhood. These include:
- Prolonged stress or anxiety, such as in response to family discord, difficulties at school, or separation anxiety
- Exposure to traumatic events, such as natural disasters or abuse
- Underlying mental health issues such as depression or anxiety disorders
Notably, some of these factors may be more likely to be experienced by children from military families. For example, children may be physically separated from a deployed family member for months at a time. They may also experience significant anxiety about frequent relocations and struggle to adapt to new schools. Of course, they may also be worried about the safety of their Active Duty parent as they serve in various roles.
Fortunately, researchers and clinicians are refining an existing cognitive behavioral treatment for use with children and adolescents. Exposure, Relaxation, and Rescripting Therapy (ERRT) has been used effectively for years with adults, both in civilian and military populations. Briefly, it consists of the following interventions:
- Exposure: The patient describes the content of their nightmares in a controlled and safe environment. This helps to reduce the fear and emotional response associated with the nightmares.
- Relaxation: Techniques such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation, and guided imagery help the patient relax and manage anxiety and stress associated with nightmares.
- Rescripting: Patients are provided psychoeducation about dreams and how they can be influenced by thoughts and behaviors during waking hours. Patients are then guided to change the storyline of their nightmares into a less distressing version. Rehearsing the new script helps reduce the frequency and/or intensity of nightmares.
Our guest on this episode of Practical for Your Practice, Dr. Shantel Fernandez Lopez, is one of the developers of ERRT for children and adolescents. She talks with Jenna and Carin about her clinical experiences and how children’s natural creativity can be harnessed in ERRT. While adults may depend on squeeze balls to reduce stress, kids can apply the skills to whatever is lying around, including lemons! Of course, working with kids also means working with their caretakers, so Dr. Fernandez Lopez also shared some tips on how to engage family members in this valuable treatment. But perhaps the best reason to tune into this episode is to find out how Scooby Snacks can play a role in nightmare reduction!
Check out this episode of Practical for Your Practice here!
The opinions in CDP Staff Perspective blogs are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Science or the Department of Defense.
Carin Lefkowitz, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist and Senior Military Behavioral Health Psychologist at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Dr. Lefkowitz earned her M.A. and Psy.D. in clinical psychology at Widener University, with a concentration in cognitive-behavioral therapy.