About Steve Brungard Expertise After five years of training focused on post trauma and related issues, I
did more than collect a few diplomas; I graduated from victim to survivor.
It is that personal immersion and accomplishment that brings me to
allexperts.com and provides you with an ally.
Experience I hold an associates degree in social science, [Harrisburg Area Community College] and a bachelors degree in social science along with a counselor training certificate in chemical dependency [Penn State University]. I also hold a commission as a Chief Warrant Officer in the United States Army [honorably discharged] and the best training ever given to any helicopter pilot on earth. It was with that commission and training that I served two tours of duty in Southeast Asia from 1968 to 1970 where I saw much of what happens when a human society disintegrates and human beings are overwhelmed.
Question I'm a university student, hoping to become a child psychologist or special education teacher. I'm mildly autistic, and I was sexually abused (not by my parents), and I want to help kids with similar kinds of issues.
The problem is that many kids with developmental disabilities and/or trauma issues can get violent, and I know from some caregiving work I've done that I find that hard to deal with. I think I can deal with a crisis situation fairly well, but afterwards I'm scared of the kid and I know that interferes with me helping them. This has occurred with two kids I worked with - one bit me above my wrist hard and the other squeezed my upper arms, both of them left bruises. And with both kids I couldn't work with them again after that, because I was constantly on guard around them.
How can I get less scared of physical violence? Would taking karate or something help? Do you have any other ideas?
Note: one of the other experts said he couldn't help me because he doesn't have experience dealing with violent clients, so I'd just like to point out that I'm not looking for advice for them, but for me. I know how to handle aggressive behavior, but I don't know how to handle my own phobias about it.
Answer Hello Ettina;
Thank you for working with children. Perhaps you will help your clients become able citizens and develop into that person which only they can be.
It is actually true that we fear what we do not know. Working with a potentially violent child exposes you to many unknowns. What injury might you suffer? What injury might the child suffer? What sort of attack will the child make? And more.
You already know that a child will sense your fear and discomfort and insecurity or your comfort confidence and ease. You know that the child will tend to bahave in some accord with its sense of you. That knowledge brought you to me.
Eliminate as many unknowns as you possibly can!
A. I will always act so that the child will not be injured beyond a bump or a bruise sustained as I take control of the situation.
B. I will suffer a moderate injury to my self if neeeded to protect the child while I gain control.
C. I will train in a martial art that will enable me to quickly and easily take physical control when a child acts out in a violent way.
D. My resolve and my training form a confidence and comfort within me that will be sensed by any child that I work with. Fear has little place in me because I have eliminated as many unknowns as I can and I can probably manage what I do not yet know.
You have some work ahead of you and the high reward of watching a client child develop to their own fullest possible potential.
