Unfortunately, childhood trauma is more common than we think. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), more than two thirds of children report at least one traumatic event by age 16. If gone uncared for, experiencing trauma as a child can lead to other concerns later in life, such as substance abuse, mental health issues, and learning or development problems. That’s why it’s so important for kids who have experienced trauma to receive therapy. Therapy can help a child work through the scars the trauma has left behind and learn how to move forward in a healthy way.
Kenosis intern Karinellie Davila Santos does just that with the clients she sees. She specializes in childhood trauma, and we had the opportunity to talk to her about her therapy practice, how she works with clients, and advice she would give caregivers of children who have experienced trauma.
Getting to Know Karinellie
Karinellie is originally from Puerto Rico and is bilingual. She has professional experience working with children and families with complex issues such as trauma, sexual assault, mistreatment, and neglect. She also had the opportunity to serve families in shelters that were victims of human trafficking. Karinellie has worked with families involved in, at risk to be involved in, or in situations related to child protective services. She helps improve sufficiency, friendships, and relationships among children who have suffered these traumas. She has experience working with ages six months to young adults, but most of her career has focused on young children and families.
Karinellie credits her career to her life experiences. “I grew up with a close family member with a mental illness. [I have] a lot of experience with intrafamily violence. There were a lot of life experiences behind that. That definitely encouraged me to learn more and see how I can help others in the same situation, and most of all, help children. It is so important for children to have a voice and have support so they can develop in a healthy way.”
How Karinellie Works With Clients
Karinellie is proficient in a variety of therapeutic techniques, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), emotion-focused therapy (EFT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). However, Karinellie personalizes her therapeutic approach for each child. She mentions, “One of my clients loves cats, so we developed a treatment using a lot of metaphors about cats. It’s about using the interests of the client.” She prefers to give them the space to tell her what they want to do, and that gives her an idea of strategies that may work for that child.
She starts with a strength-based approach and a systemic approach. She says, “I like to partner with a client. I believe that they need to have their own space and lead the way to heal, and learn about themselves in that process as well.” In that same sense, she prefers to see the person in multiple settings around different people. Behaviors can drastically change when a child is around caregivers versus peers versus friends. By seeing her clients in multiple environments, she can better teach them how to interact with others in each scenario.
Karinellie adds, “I always try to include education in that relationship and that process, so they can learn how to use their skills in the future. Not only in this therapeutic session, but how they can use their strengths in the future and apply that to solve problems.” She teaches them new and healthy strategies to express their emotions.
She always tries to include cultural responsiveness or cultural humility in her sessions. To her, that means, “I’m able to respect and connect with others different from my culture. I have been able to work with families with multiple backgrounds, and I integrate that into my practice. I’m able to connect and learn from them.” She mentions that through Kenosis, she has been learning more about mainland American culture and how it’s different from her Puerto Rican culture. This allows her to be more humble and empathetic towards different cultures than her own, and also makes her clients feel more comfortable around her when they feel understood.
Client Successes
When asked about clients she has had success with, Karinellie immediately thinks of a client she is currently working with. “He is a gifted kid, six years old. In every session, he would come with something that happened at school. He was displaying some disruptive behavior, a lot of kicking, kicking teachers, hitting, and screaming. He started drawing the incident, and it was like he was showing me what happened through art and storytelling. So he used that as a tool to heal himself and manage that anger, frustration, and anxiety in the school setting.”
She recalls that he used art to express himself, and that was the best form of therapy for this client. Through art, he came to understand the emotions he was having trouble expressing verbally. “It completely changed his behavior.” Karinellie also collaborated with his caregivers to discuss the best ways to support and reward him. They created a system that tracked his behavior, and by the end of their counseling sessions, he was only having good days. He was able to heal himself in the safe space of the therapeutic sessions. “I was guiding him in some way, but he was able to lead the entire treatment, which was amazing.”
Karinellie often uses art as a method for kids to express their emotions differently. She says, “It allows a client to visualize their thoughts, feelings, and express experiences that they don’t know how to put into words. Sometimes it’s so difficult for them to actually articulate and just put language to what is really going on.” Once the client starts to use art, they unlock barriers that block them from processing emotions and feelings. It allows them to start the journey to healing.
Karinellie’s View on Therapy
Karinellie learns as much from her clients as they learn from her. “Even at six years old, they’re just amazing, and I see them empower others. I love to help them find the right tools to have a meaningful life. It’s that piece of human connection.”
She reassures her clients that they are a team, and she wants the best for them. “I share that with them in the session as well, that we have a partnership here. Together, we’re going to create a treatment that’s going to work for you.” She constantly checks in with her clients to make sure the treatment is working for them. If not, they work together to find new things to try. She checks in by saying, “I would love to hear from you. What are your thoughts? What are your goals here? How do you want to spend your time?” Then, she goes from there and sees what their interests are to tailor her approach to that child.
Karinellie mentions that she sometimes finds it challenging to work with children with these complex issues and adverse experiences. It pulls at her heart to hear the tragic experiences these children have gone through. “I just prepare myself to be a resource for the client, but it is still a challenge for me. When I need that strength and contentment, I just think about why I’m here doing this. It’s to support them through these experiences.” Therapy is the best thing for a child who has experienced trauma.
In regards to advice she would give to caregivers thinking about getting therapy for their child, Karinellie says, “They should know that it is a beneficial process that will help build skills. Therapy is an asset that will enhance the strength within children and [help them] use their strengths in the future.” In other words, therapy is a long-lasting investment that gives children skills to create a better future for themselves.