Integrative Body, Mind, and Spirit Interventions used with Parents in the Child Welfare System

Parenting is a critical component of child welfare's intervention efforts; however, child welfare interventions attempt to correct dysfunctional parenting practices rather than address their shared underlying causes, such as parental stress and trauma. Ongoing stress can overload a parents' ability to access logical decision-making capabilities. Parents can utilize integrative body, mind, and spirit interventions to remain calm when they experience chronic stress. These interventions can offer stressed out parents techniques that focus on emotional regulation, and subsequently reduce the risk of child maltreatment. This article offers a comprehensive review of the literature identifying parental stress as a critical component of child welfare as well as the usefulness of including integrative mind, body, and spirit interventions with parents in the child welfare system.