SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / April 24, 2025 / The experienced San Diego based therapists at Park Mental Health act as guides to building the skills and understanding necessary to foster healthier relationships. A child's well-being is in the hands of caretakers and parents, but what happens when those hands are harmful? Often rooted in family dynamics, childhood trauma is ground zero for how an adolescent is shaped as an adult and a breeding ground for mental illness.
Childhood trauma wreaks havoc on its victim's physiology as they are significantly more likely to develop mental illness later in life if it isn't addressed. From depression and anxiety to PTSD and substance use disorders, the emotional and psychological scars can last well into adulthood.
"The stress of abuse interferes with the healthy development of a child's brain, impairing a child's nervous and immune system," said Park Mental Health Program Director Mikayla Weathers, LMFT.
The cost is severe and extensive, affecting the victim's lifespan and family's bond, and has societal impacts on medical care for ongoing mental health treatment. It further affects the community by imposing a greater risk of living in underprivileged conditions, developed criminal behavior and increased dropout rates.
When it comes to child abuse, one in every four girls and one in 13 boys in the U.S. are estimated to have been victims of it, according to the Center for Disease Control in 2024.
The cycle of abuse is complex and terrifying.
"Not only are children who were abused at an increased risk for violence against themselves and/or others by mirroring how they were treated, they can also develop predisposition toward substance use, engage in dangerous sexual behaviors, and develop a poor response to treatment later on," Weathers said.
Children often blame themselves for the abuse they experienced, which can lead them to use negative coping strategies to deal with their anger, overwhelm and depression. Behaviors such as avoidance or acting out, drug use and self-harm, can ultimately develop into social isolation, panic, suicidal ideation and/or attempts. As part of its model, Park Mental Health clinical staff implements prevention strategies and early intervention across its programs. Using the Family Systems Therapy (FST) comprehensive treatment model, family members are shown how the behaviors, emotions, and struggles of one person have a ripple effect on the whole family.
"The importance of encouraging adults to develop loving, respectful relationships with their children cannot be overstated," Weathers said.
Family Systems Therapy guides families toward healthier behavior patterns and away from dysfunction by fostering awareness and understanding.
"We use a variety of techniques such as role-playing, reframing (viewing problems from different perspectives), and boundary-setting to help family members communicate more effectively and understand each other better so they can begin to heal." For families struggling with issues related to mental health, addiction, or communication, Family Systems Therapy can improve the dynamic by helping them develop new ways of coping.
Contact Information
Steven Esparza
Chief Executive Officer
info@camppublicrelations.com
6193631368
SOURCE: Park Mental Health
