MEET EMMA

Meet Emma*.  At 4 years old, Emma was referred to the Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut’s (CGC) Child Advocacy Center due to reports of physical abuse.

CGC’s Child Advocacy Center (CAC) consists of a multi-disciplinary team (MDT) comprised of local law enforcement, the State’s Attorney’s Office, the Department of Children and Families (DCF), medical personnel, victim advocates, and mental health professionals. The team works together to provide comprehensive services for victims and their families, to include forensic interviews, medical evaluations, victim advocacy services, coordination of investigations, and referrals to community resources.

During the forensic interview, Emma disclosed that her father physically abused her and her mother.  With this information, the MDT took appropriate actions to ensure Emma and her mother’s safety. Additionally, Emma and her mother were referred to CGC for case management and mental health services to assist in their healing process.

To help Emma overcome the trauma she struggled with daily, she was enrolled in CGC’s Child and Family Therapy (CFT) program. Utilizing Trauma Informed Parent Child Psychotherapy, Emma and her mother are learning how to identify and regulate their emotions, and process the abuse they experienced and witnessed.  CGC’s case manager referred Emma’s mother to the Domestic Violence Crisis Center and various other community resources to prevent potential reoccurrence of abuse.

With the help of the CAC, a CFT clinician, and case management services, Emma and her mother are working hard to overcome the pain caused by their violent past.

*Identifying information has been changed to maintain the privacy of our clients.

en_USEnglish