Defender Newsletter Issue 36

EPIC in peru

Trauma comes in all shapes and sizes. It can be the result of bullying, medical challenges, a natural disaster, early childhood struggles, and the list can go on. Many individuals experience some form of trauma in their life, but for children in foster care, the trauma can be early and oftentimes, these children don’t know how to process what is happening to them.

Healing is so important, which is why 4KIDS launched a unique EPIC Therapeutic Approach in 2014. When a child has experienced trauma, their pain can manifest into behavioral issues, anxiety, depression, issues with attachment, and more. Navigating the past hurts and present difficulties can be overwhelming for both a child and their caregiver. The heart of EPIC is to teach those working with kids how to see beyond the behaviors and get to the root of what lies underneath. Since 2014, more than 2,185 lives have been impacted through EPIC, and we are just getting started.

A few months ago, two of our EPIC Therapists journeyed to Peru to share TBRI, or Trust-Based Relational Intervention, with government officials and other members of the community. Over 120 individuals learned about healing through connection, correction, and empowerment. These valuable lessons excited the people of Peru immensely and they were eager to spread the knowledge to teachers and healthcare workers. Children and families will be touched on their healing journey as they implement tools like eye contact, behavioral matching, and incorporating choices. It was an incredible success and our EPIC Clinicians, Betsy and Evelyn are eager to spread TBRI across Peru, and beyond.