TESSA aims to support families, not “fix” children. We believe that parents who practise therapeutic parenting are the greatest therapy for hurt children.

Current trauma research indicates that experiencing loss, abuse, and neglect in early life can overwhelm a young child’s brain and nervous system. As they grow, they may express their traumatic histories unconsciously through challenging behaviours and tensions in relationships. We encourage adults to think of behaviour as language signalling a relationship need rather than defiance or manipulation.

Often, adults believe that a child was too young to recall their early trauma. We challenge these believes as current research identifies from conception to birth, and beyond, the human body doesn’t forget its trauma, even if the mind can’t remember.