Julia

3 year old saw her father kill her mother.
Three year old Julia was referred to For The Child after her mother was shot to death by her father, who then turned the gun on himself. She was found asleep on the bed, in between the bodies of her parents. This fatal incident was the last event in a chronic pattern of domestic violence, substance abuse, and chaotic living. The aunt and uncle who adopted Julia wanted her to just forget what she had gone through, but her nightmares and behavior showed that her memories were sad and frightening.

Working with a specially trained For The Child therapist, Julia used toys - a doll house, family figures, and police cars-to communicate through play her memories, fears and worries. Her aunt and uncle knew she was recovering from the trauma when she began normal play with other children and stopped playing scenes of fighting, death, and loss.