Looking into a deaf child's future. A brief treatment approach

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Psychotherapy

Background:

• Mothers of deaf children may experience anxiety regarding their child's future.
• Obsessional thoughts can negatively impact parental well-being and child-rearing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a brief psychotherapeutic intervention for a hearing mother with obsessional thoughts about her deaf child's future.
• To illustrate the use of clinical hypnosis and structured meetings in therapy.

Main Methods:

• Brief psychotherapeutic treatment involving the client and therapist.
• Application of clinical hypnosis to reframe negative imagery.
• Structured meetings with a vocational counselor and deaf adults to foster positive future perspectives.

Main Results:

• Modification of the mother's negative images regarding her deaf child's future.
• Affirmation and expansion of more positive future images through guided interactions.
• Successful integration of theoretical insights and personal experiences.

Conclusions:

• Brief psychotherapy, incorporating clinical hypnosis and structured social interactions, can effectively address parental anxiety and obsessional thoughts.
• Therapeutic approaches should consider the unique challenges and strengths within families of children with hearing impairments.
• Collaborative writing between therapist and client offers a unique perspective on the therapeutic process.