RAD Reflections

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Nov 17, 20207 min read

8 things you need to know before you adopt a child

Like any expectant parents, adoptive moms and dads worry that they don’t know enough. They wonder what they need to learn to take care of...

548 views0 comments

How a Mom of a Child with Reactive Attachment Disorder Develops "Trauma Brain" Too

Chris Prange-Morgan, MA, MSW

Nov 10, 20205 min read

How a Mom of a Child with Reactive Attachment Disorder Develops "Trauma Brain" Too

Here at RAD Advocates, we still talk about our "trauma brains" even years after raising kids with reactive attachment disorder. It's real.

5,592 views1 comment

Why Parenting a Child With Reactive Attachment Disorder Isn't the Same as Parenting Other Kids

Heather Houze

Nov 3, 20203 min read

Why Parenting a Child With Reactive Attachment Disorder Isn't the Same as Parenting Other Kids

Early in our childrearing lives, I became a stay-at-home mom. My husband Jon supported our family financially while I handled most of the...

372 views0 comments

The Most Important Things to Know and Do if Your Child with RAD is in Residential Treatment

Amy VanTine

Oct 27, 20204 min read

The Most Important Things to Know and Do if Your Child with RAD is in Residential Treatment

Carol was in a complete state of panic when I answered the phone. Her son Ty, a child with reactive attachment disorder (RAD), had been...

1,563 views0 comments

A mom's heart-wrenching journey through RAD and the decision to send her daughter to live elsewhere

Anonymous

Oct 20, 20206 min read

A mom's heart-wrenching journey through RAD and the decision to send her daughter to live elsewhere

My husband and I had been foster parents for three years the day we got the phone call. The woman on the phone was from the U.S....

615 views0 comments

Reactive Attachment Disorder Parenting Resource Round-Up: 34 Sources to Survive the Difficult Path

Heather Houze

Oct 14, 20207 min read

Reactive Attachment Disorder Parenting Resource Round-Up: 34 Sources to Survive the Difficult Path

While helpful resources are still bleak with regard to reactive attachment disorder parenting, it's come a long way. Here's what we found.

1,966 views1 comment

An Open Letter to Clinicians about "Unstable" Moms of Kids with Reactive Attachment Disorder

Forrest Lien, LCSW

Oct 6, 20206 min read

An Open Letter to Clinicians about "Unstable" Moms of Kids with Reactive Attachment Disorder

Dear Mental Health Colleague, A mother called me in tears yesterday. Her story was one of hundreds I’ve heard over nearly 40 years in the...

6,762 views0 comments

A Hidden Aftermath of Reactive Attachment Disorder: When a Child's Trauma Traumatizes the Family

Cheryl Ruzzo

Sep 29, 20208 min read

A Hidden Aftermath of Reactive Attachment Disorder: When a Child's Trauma Traumatizes the Family

Simply because a perpetrator is a child does not diminish the effects of abuse. Reactive attachment disorder impacts the whole family.

6,155 views4 comments

4 simple ways to spot reactive attachment disorder symptoms when they look like lots of other things

Julie Evans, LPC

Sep 23, 20204 min read

4 simple ways to spot reactive attachment disorder symptoms when they look like lots of other things

It was a typical day at our counseling office when I got her phone call. Even though several years have passed, I can still hear the...

1,201 views0 comments

8 ways to spot a good reactive attachment disorder therapist as an exhausted parent

Amy VanTine

Sep 16, 20204 min read

8 ways to spot a good reactive attachment disorder therapist as an exhausted parent

It's tough to find a therapist who understands the reality of reactive attachment disorder. It is possible though. Look for these qualities.

989 views1 comment

When adoption meets reactive attachment disorder and other things this mom learned the hard way

Heather

Sep 9, 20204 min read

When adoption meets reactive attachment disorder and other things this mom learned the hard way

As an adoptive mom, I’ve been asked many times if I would adopt again. My answer is never cut and dry—never a hard yes or no. I love...

320 views0 comments

How a family who opened their hearts and home to serious reactive attachment disorder found safety

Anonymous

Aug 18, 20205 min read

How a family who opened their hearts and home to serious reactive attachment disorder found safety

Pastor Michael and his wife Tanya were in their 50’s and had raised two beautiful daughters. As empty-nesters, they looked forward to...

201 views0 comments

When Home is No Longer a Safe Haven: The Reality of Living with Reactive Attachment Disorder

Amy VanTine

Aug 18, 20207 min read

When Home is No Longer a Safe Haven: The Reality of Living with Reactive Attachment Disorder

Families of kids with reactive attachment disorder on the moderate to severe range often live in compromising environments.

6,836 views2 comments

5 ways you can be a good friend to a mom of a child with reactive attachment disorder

Gina Heumann

Aug 17, 20204 min read

5 ways you can be a good friend to a mom of a child with reactive attachment disorder

To mother a child who suffers from early trauma is a lonely place. If you have a friend doing so, you can make a difference in her life...

210 views0 comments

Aug 4, 20204 min read

Dear Therapist: 7 Things to Know About Reactive Attachment Disorder (from another therapist/RAD mom)

I remember the moment well. My 4-year-old son was dumping tray sand onto the carpet of his therapist’s office. He stared right into my...

1,179 views0 comments

Why the mom of a child with reactive attachment disorder in your life needs you to call her

Heather

Aug 3, 20204 min read

Why the mom of a child with reactive attachment disorder in your life needs you to call her

As a mom of a child with reactive attachment disorder, I understand loneliness. But the path that took me to that place is more...

1,443 views0 comments

Reactive Attachment Disorder in the Classroom: 5 Ways You Can Connect with Your Child's Teacher

Allison Ellenwood

Jul 21, 20206 min read

Reactive Attachment Disorder in the Classroom: 5 Ways You Can Connect with Your Child's Teacher

Most teachers encounter reactive attachment disorder at some point, but without training. A parent/teacher team is critical.

5,910 views1 comment

What a parent of a child with reactive attachment disorder will still tackle after the pandemic

Amy J. Brown

Jul 21, 20204 min read

What a parent of a child with reactive attachment disorder will still tackle after the pandemic

When I chatted with a friend recently, I remarked how crazy life feels in the midst of this global pandemic. To my surprise, she felt...

156 views0 comments

When the Other Children Shatter: The Glass Effect of Reactive Attachment Disorder on Siblings

Heather Houze

Jul 14, 20203 min read

When the Other Children Shatter: The Glass Effect of Reactive Attachment Disorder on Siblings

When reactive attachment disorder enters the home, siblings of children with the disorder also suffer from its symptoms.

12,816 views2 comments

A story about a mom, adoption and the reality of living with reactive attachment disorder PART III

Heather

Jul 7, 20206 min read

A story about a mom, adoption and the reality of living with reactive attachment disorder PART III

The following is the final part of a true story series. Names have been changed to protect identities. To read from the beginning, start...

1,847 views0 comments

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