Bryan Post
Billy Bryan Post proclaims himself a “renowned adoption & trauma expert” as well as an “[i]nternationally acclaimed lecturer and attachment therapist.”
Post has a master’s degree in social work, and was licensed as a clinical social worker in Oklahoma. Frequently referring to himself as “Dr. Post,” he does not hold a license to practice either psychiatry or psychology. In 2000, he obtained a doctorate of social work from Columbus University School of Public Administration in New Orleans (an online business shut down by the state of Louisiana, and subsequently moved its operations to Picayune, Mississippi). Columbus is an unaccredited school which some government regulators have reportedly labelled a “diploma mill.” (
) Oklahoma licensing authorities in 2007 ordered Post to stop making online claims of possessing a doctorate (
), but he did not comply and subsequently surrendered his Oklahoma license, moving his operations to Virginia (
).Post claims to have done “advanced studies” under Martha Welch, MD, author of Holding Time, and he has been a proponent of her “Welch Method Attachment Therapy.”
Within two years of obtaining his “doctorate,” Post set up his Post Institute and began promoting “positive, love-based parenting” (and therapy) based on his “Stress Model” of human behavior, utilizing notions and techniques derivative of the ideas of his mentor, Martha Welch. As of this writing, he controls, or has controlled, an array of related organizations/systems, internet domains, and even a blog, including:
• Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy (bryanpost.com)
• Post Institute for Family-Centered Parenting (postinstitute.com)
• Post Institute for Attachment and Healing
• Beyond Consequences Institute (beyondconsequences.com) [with Heather Forbes]
• Post New Family Revolution System (postfamilysystem.com)
• Post Homes for Attachment and Healing (posthomes.org)
• Post Institute Parenting Solutions (parentingtheadoptedchild.com)
• Post for Parents (postforparents.com)
• Barefoot CEO Consulting (barefootceoconsulting.com)
• Secrets of a Wealthy Social Worker (wealthysocialworker.com)
• The Forever Child Series (foreverchild.net)
• Dr. Post on Parenting (drpost.blogspot.com)
In His Own Words
— Most Telling —
Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy “The Leader in Guaranteed Mental Health Services for Adoptive Families Worldwide.” — “Application for Therapist Training Consideration,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (2004, accessed 30 Nov 2006)
Q [from audience member]: I read Martha’s [Welch’s] book. … And so I decided I was going to do this with them. And three and a half hours of kicking, screaming, scratching, and “tell me what you’feeling” “I don’t know” … I just got worn out. So what do you do? How long do you do holding?…
A: Well. All kids are different. Martha’s Holding Time book was not written for the parent with the traumatized child that’s got this really conditioned stress system, because that’s what professionals are for — to do it for two or three days, all day long. — “Welch Method Therapy for All Ages,” workshop presentation at Stopping the Insanity: Treating and Parenting Children with Attachment Disorder (Riverside, CA: Heal the Heart Foundation, March 26-28, 2001)[I]f they start to wrestle, they’re really angry. You may have to get down with them on the bed, so you can really wrap your arms around them and make eye contact with them. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
I’ll do however many days it takes to break through to the physiological system. And what we’re doing in the intensive process is breaking through to the stress-feedback. … So what you do for … two days or three days, four days, is pound, pound, pound, pound until you break through that stress system to create calm arousal. When you do that, then you can connect physiologically. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
What stands in our mind about this case is that in the midst of the second day, he was having such an intentional [sic] emotional outpouring that he said, “I’m stressed! I’m stressed! I’m stressed!” I mean, it just came out. And I was like, “Whoa, he’s stress. He’s really [laughter]. He’s, he’s communicating. He’s stressed!” And he was just, I mean, “I’m stressed!” And he was just verbalizing, verbalizing, verbalizing. What was so powerful — the mom and dad worked very hard that two days. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
Are you physically capable of participating in highly emotional work equivalent to intense physical exercise? — “Application for Therapist Training Consideration” (2004)
And Martha [Welch] says that our feelings get all bottled up, and we have to “pop the cork.” And you pop the cork through the parent-child containment. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
When we become stressed the very cells of our bodies, of which there are a billion, constrict into survival. Literally communicating to every other cell, “Listen, we better act fast here and huddle together or we are going to die!” — “How to Heal the Attachment Challenged Child,” email solicitation (sent 29 Nov 2005)
I strongly believe that the only time this therapy fails a family is when the parents become resistant to the healing path. — For All Things a Season (Oklahoma: M. Brynn Publishing, 2003), p. 83
I am not an advocate of psychotropic medication for children at any time. I know that healing can take place without medication. — For All Things a Season (2003), p. 87
— “Containment” —
The technique is set your child in your lap, make him look at you and tell you how they feel. .… a three and one-half, four-hour session. .… [W]hen you’re in the midst of it, you got to stick in there. … You have to sweat, and you just have to hang in there. And even when you’re so tired there’s nothing left to say, you just hold on. You just hold on. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
[P]arent-child containment is not always soft. I mean, there have been times with my daughter that I’ve been very angry. And you have to express those feelings. And when they get in touch with their feelings, they’re crying. You can’t ask for anything more than that. I mean, change is taking hold at the deepest level. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
And when we talk about a preverbal child, say a toddler.… bouncing off the wall or misbehaving. … They need the same thing. They need containment. And that’s going to come out through crying, through pushing, and biting and spitting, and everything that little kids do if they can’t express it verbally. I’ve even worked with … infants as young as eight months old. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
I believe containment should only be done in the context of the family environment and under the immediate supervision of the therapist. — For All Things a Season (2003), p. 86
Dr. Post is available for public and private lectures and/or trainings. … “Parent as Teacher and Regulator:” Exploring the importance of parental containment, holding therapy, and the therapist role. — “Lecture Series,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (2002, accessed 6 Sep 2006)
Remember … in holding your child … The emotional outpouring will come. … But you have to work on getting the child to express emotions. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
hellip;Whenever the emotions are accessed, you get all this rage and this hurt and this upset. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
Parenting Example … The parents need to understand that [their adopted sixteen-year-old son] Tommy has been acting out aggressively from a primal state of fear, not anger. … The parent then closes the door of the room, creating physical containment for Tommy … [H]is parent needs to say to him, “Tommy, you must be really scared right now. By you telling me that you’re going to kill me, that only means that you’re really scared that someone might kill you.” The parent then closes the door of the room, creating physical containment for Tommy, and the parent sits on the floor, lessening the perceived threat of the parent. … [T]he parent sits on the floor … the parent then invites Tommy to express his emotions, “Tommy, tell me how scared you are right now. I’m not going anywhere…” Tommy will ultimately, even if it takes three or four hours, or even six hours, be able to safely discharge some of the bound-up fear-driven energy within his body. — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control: A Love Based Approach to Helping Attachment-Challenged Children with Severe Behaviors, Volume I [with Heather T. Forbes] (Orlando, FL: Beyond Consequences Institute, 2006), p. 70-71
In the actual parent-child containment process. … So when she said, “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know,” if you get frustrated and say, “Okay. Well, get up,’ that’s just going to make her say, “I don’t know, I don’t know” longer the next time. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
A charge of sexual molestation … I’ve seen that to be a rare thing when the child is regulated. Because … there’s not that interpretation of holding behavior or whatever. [emphasis added] — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— “Containment”-Only Parenting —
The focus should be on prevention. And if you can prevent having to discipline, that’s what you want to do. But if there is a situation where you must intervene, then you intervene through parent-child containment and getting your child to express how they’re feeling leading to the behavior. Then there’s no such thing as discipline, because it’s developmental. And it’s about creating developmental change. And it’s about creating an environment to where your child can express these emotions. So there’s once you can empathize and become attuned to what your child is feeling leading to their behavior, why would you want to discipline after that? — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
The use of consequences is not an option in the Family-Centered approach due to the principle that the primary caregiver must take responsibility for the developing child. In doing so, inappropriate behavior is a warning sign that the child is exhibiting a conditioned stress response and it is the responsibility of the care giver to initiate a learning and safe environment for the at risk child via containment. — “Towards a New Alternative to Behavior Modification and Understanding Why Consequences is Not an Effective Tool,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (26 Jul 2005, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
— “Containment” for Foster Children —
When we’re looking at foster parents, then you have to take a different approach, because it’s basically the same kind of approach I have to take in a residential treatment setting with kids there is: One way I do it is by holding their hand. Okay, it may be like a dance for a while, holding their hands. But we’re dancing, and I’m not letting go. And I’m telling them, “I’m not letting go. You tell me how mad you are. I’m not letting go.” And then it may be this, dodging their feet, while I’m being kicked in the shins, but I’m not letting go. Then eventually they’ll fall down to the ground, and we’ll sit there, cross-legged, and right there, and I’ll just hold their hands until they feel like coming in and getting a hug. Or until they let me give them a hug. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— Student of Martha Welch —
The power of parent-child containment. Creates powerful change via the sensing pathways. Touch, sight, sound, smell, temperature. … THE most powerful effect on change is through those five sensory pathways. And I’m almost certain that this is why Martha Welch’s method … seems to have demonstrated over other therapies to be the most efficient and effective manner for breaking through to the stress response system. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
[E]ight to twelve hours each day. Intense emotional outpouring. Physiological alignment and renewed family commitment. And what Dr. Welch does in the Welch Method Regulatory Bonding Intensive. It’s two days. It’s 8 hours each day. And she’s done up to eight families at one time. With 50 people in one regulatory bonding session where everyone’s doing regulatory bonding for two days. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
[Welch Method is] an entirely new paradigm of treatment… — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— “Regulatory Therapy” and “Stress Model” —
A primary goal in the therapeutic intervention of difficult children is to assist parents in moving from a place of blame to a place of being response-able [sic]. — “Family-Centered Regulatory Therapy,” Dr. Post’s New Family Revolution System [previously entitled Behind the Veil of Anger: The Radical New Understanding of Difficult Children] (2003, 4 videotapes), tape 3
If you’re regulated … [n]ormally you’re the follower, not the leader. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
Dr. Welch says that peer physiology is the same as stress physiology. Which means that’s the same as anger. And so that’s big.…[W]hen kids are out hanging around one another, they lose their ability to regulate.… Happy teenagers are happy teenagers being able to hang out with one another when there are some parents around. That’s when they are the happiest. They’re not happy when they’re out running around town with their buddies, drinking beer and having a good time. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
A maverick in the mental health field, Dr. Post broke from traditional teachings in the late 1990’s and developed a dynamic theoretical model of human behavior which he coined the Stress Model. When fully understood and applied to nearly any situation the stress model can reveal underlying unconscious expressive states which can transform relationship dynamics. — “About Us,” Barefoot CEO Consulting [website] (19 Jan 2006, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
From the Stress Model theory he has gone on to develop both Family-Centered Regulatory Parenting and Regulatory Therapy both of which have been taught at the university level, garnering Dr. Post international recognition. Of noted interest is also the fact that Dr. Post has woven his therapy model into breakthrough educational experiences that are referred to as Intensive Attachment Training Boot Camps. … rapid results programs. — “About Us” (2006)
The Stress Model was developed by this author, Dr. Bryan Post, as a model to explain human behavior. The Stress Model is a regulatory theory of human behavior. … According to the Stress Model, all behavior arises from a state of stress, and between the behavior and the stress is the presence of a primary emotion. There are only two … Love and Fear. — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), p. 6
And the way that we respond with our stress is through our behavior. It’s our behavior. But between our behavior and our stress are our emotions. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
We’ve always said that it [music] influences our kids. … The music that kids listen to — that’s our peer group. That’s our peer group that we’re listening to. And if we’re listening to that music outside of a parental figure, then … it’s still our peer group. And so it does affect us physiologically, and it does cause anger and stress which could lead us to do some of the things that kids have been noted to do after listening to such music. So I think it does have a neuro-physiological effect. And we just haven’t understood it to that degree. Evaluate all music. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— “Spiritual Stress” —
We’ve got more spiritual stress in our lives than we’ve had in all of history, I believe. All of history. … I seldom, if ever, read newspapers. … All’s it takes is for me to go out there and read one thing about possible terrorism, and I can feel low grade anxiety. — “Family-Centered Regulatory Therapy” (2003)
[T]hat’s challenging our spiritual systems. … Spiritual beliefs for parents become dramatic, and those can create extreme family disruptions, especially if you think of extreme cases of spiritual trauma: Koresh, Jim Jones, satanic ritual. Those are spiritual traumas. — “Family-Centered Regulatory Therapy” (2003)
— “Research” —
And Martha [Welch] really wanted me to keep all the data on my information. I mean, I can give you, you know, number after number after number. You can call and talk to them. That’s how I determine my results. And then she’s got probably, you know, tons and tons of data that she could show you for, you know, for the overall things. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
We have taken this [new perspective] a step further by conducting an intensive meta-analysis of the most common approaches and views of these severe behaviors from a traditional [i.e., Attachment Therapy] perspective… — “Second Note to the Reader,” Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), unnumbered p.
[T]he results of the comparative outcome study which span two years later is a head to head comparison of a traditional and very popular consequences model versus the POST Institute model. The results are shocking. Unfortunately, because we a [sic] considering the publication of these results which means we are not supposed to share pre-publication results, I cannot yet release them … — “Therapeutic Foster Care Agencies,” email solicitation (sent 11 Apr 2007)
— On School —
Dr. Martha Welch feels that all children should be home-schooled due to the tremendous stress they are placed under at school and the stress of being away from home all day. Though ideal, this is not possible for most families. — For All Things a Season (2003), p. 18
Find out why traditional education may be doing more harm for your child than good. — “Post Institute Attachment Family Camp,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (25 Oct 2005, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
— On Suicide —
My wife and I are doing some interim house parenting for one of the residential homes that we run. And this eleven-and-a-half-year-old girl has had all these problems. … The first thing she would do is say, “I’m going to kill myself.” … The first thing I told her when I came into the home and she got to know me a little better is “I’m not ever going to call an ambulance or a cop or a police.…” … Because it’s almost like a policy in Canada that any little threat has to call the ambulance. And the ambulance comes. Or the cops come. Haul the kid off to the hospital. It is a big, stressful ordeal. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— Group Homes —
I am teaming up with John Faircloth the founder of Carpe Diem Children’s Services of Hampton Roads, VA. We will be bringing the Post Institute for Attachment and Healing Group Homes to the Virginia area, hoping to have our first one open in February as well. … Our Cleveland and Orlando offices are continuing to make progress… — “It’s Been a Heck of a Year!” Post Vibe [newsletter of Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy], (#10/11, sent 7 Nov 2005)
I am personally looking for Two Loving Couples to Go through Very Intensive, Emotional, Heart Wrenching, Gut Busting, Tear Pouring. … did I say Intensive, training to become house parents for the Post Institute Attachment and Healing Homes in Denver, Colorado and Chesapeake, Virginia. … [T]he Post Institute has decided to create the Attachment and Healing Homes. … for children ranging between 5 and 15 years of age. — “Looking for a Few Good Folks!” Post Vibe [newsletter of Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy], (#12, sent 6 Jan 2006)
Post Homes for Attachment and Healing, Inc., currently has two locations, a non-profit program located in Denver, Colorado, and a for-profit, sister program in Virginia. … Through Post Homes, we will provide an intensive level of clinical intervention. … Following the philosophies of Dr. Bryan Post… — “Welcome to Post Homes,” Post Homes for Attachment and Healing [website] (2006, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
— Practice Building —
The Secrets to Acquiring Wealth in Social Work. … Consider Oprah Winfrey … My program is 100% guaranteed. … Get a FREE coaching session with someone who earns in the top 1% of social workers … Become a recognized expert in the field of your choice. … While lecturing in San Francisco, CA, I once polled a group of social workers as to whether they knew any social workers making $250,000 a year or more. — “The Secrets to Acquiring Wealth in Social Work,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (2006, accessed 11 October 2006)
I need your help. It’s time for us to go on Oprah. … Over the next couple of weeks, the producers of Oprah’s show will be getting a FED-EX package from us here at the Post Institute everyday. [sic] … To support and bring attention to the packages they will be receiving I need you to … [L]et Oprah and the producers know about the work we’ve been doing. — “Oprah here we come!” email solicitation (sent 23 Mar 2006)
Popular parenting books don’t address the specific needs faced by those in your care. But, after years of specialized sutdy [sic] and real-world experience, I’ve identified the unique behavior patterns and outlined clear coping methods which lead to happier, healthier children. This information is only available online through our unique CD Program. — “How Can You Help Adopted and Foster Children Cope?” Post Institute Parenting Solutions [website] (16 Aug 2006, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
[Book for sale:] 7 Habits of the Highly Effective, Wealthy Therapist Plus The 13 Guaranteed Pathways to Financial Freedom for Mental Health Professionals [by] B. Bryan Post, PhD, LCSW — “Therapist Materials,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (2006, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
In fact, just recently a national attachment therapy organization threatened to report me and my “guaranteed” workshops to my local licensing board. They felt as though it were unethical to guarantee results. Well, I saved them the phone call and called the board myself! In the words of my licensing board, after reviewing my guarantee, “Wow, you must feel really confident in your work. We see no problem with your guarantee.” — “Post Institute for Attachment Parenting,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (2006, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
For therapists seeking to utilize the family-centered approach in your own practice following the weekend intensive [at a cost of $995], you are encouraged to attend multiple trainings until you feel comfortable with working at the intensity that is required. — “Family-Centered Regulatory Therapist Training,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (10 Oct 2005, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
…I have been paid as much as $2,500 for one hour, conveying only a quarter of what you are going to receive in the system. I’ve been paid as much $10,000 to apply this information directly to families. … You might think this is a bit ridiculous or maybe a blessing in disguise but I’m literally giving away this system for only $77! — “You Can’t Let This Opportunity Pass You By!” Dr. Post’s New Family Revolution System [website] (2003, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
Is Your Child or Family PDSS? What the heck does PDSS mean, is it some weird new diagnosis? Yes, and no, mostly NO! PDSS stands for POST Dramatic Success Story and we are having a contest to find the family and child who have witnessed the most dramatic success since instituting POST Institute principles. … [Y]ou could win a week long stay in Toronto, Canada with me as your guest [sic] this summer.… If you have tried any of our materials, techniques, read a book, and had great success then send us your story … We’ll take all of the stories and post them on the website for the network to cast their vote.
— “Post Institute News — Is Your Child or Family PDSS?” Post Vibe [newsletter of Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy], (#17, sent 6 Mar 2007)With the increasing popularity of the POST Model of parenting and treatment, there have been many individuals and companies, attempting to profit by saying that they are POST trained or are offering POST services. Here at the Institute we can [sic] always be on top of these fraudulent claims. … There are officially only two agencies that are Certified POST Institute Agencies: Attachment and Trauma Institute in Richmond, VA and the Adoption and Foster Care Treatment Center in Chesapeake, VA. There are no certified therapeutic foster care agencies at this time… — “Post Institute News — Special notice before we get started” Post Vibe [newsletter of Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy], (#18, sent 3 Apr 2007)
— Post Institute —
The Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy offers. … In-home Intensive Therapy Program for families with children age 3 to 12. … Following the three-day intensive session, Dr. Post begins engaging the family each week with rigorous telephone coaching sessions… — “Family-Centered Regulatory Therapy,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (2002, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
My current lecture/consultation fee for one day is $5000. With the release of my new book with Heather Forbes and the mounting demand on my family and time, this rate will be going up next year to $7500… — “Agencies, small groups, and multi-families offer,” email solicitation (sent 14 Dec 2005)
Dr. Post is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Oklahoma and is registered to practice within various other states. — For All Things a Season (2003), p. 93
Following completion of the Family Camp you’ll have the opportunity to become a certified Family-Centered Regulatory Parent Instructor. Able to teach other parents in your area these very exciting principles with the support of the Post Institute and myself! — “Post Institute Attachment Family Camp” (2005)
Disclaimer: Attendance to Dr. Post’s Intensive Training Program does not constitute a full course of training with Dr. Post, nor does it qualify you to speak with any expertise as to the effectiveness of the Stress Model, Family-Centered Regulatory Therapy, or Family-Centered Regulatory Parenting. The training is an educational experience and should not be mistaken for actual certification in a specific model of therapy. — “Application for Therapist Training Consideration,” (2004)
— CEO Consulting —
In collaboration with the Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy the parent company to Barefoot CEO Consulting, transformation is brought about through intensive emotional education camps. Such camps have been conducted by the Post Institute throughout the country for the last several years with groundbreaking results. … We offer … * Intensive Executive Camps * Intensive Employee Camps… — “What We Do,” Barefoot CEO Consulting (19 Jan 2006, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
— Amazing Results? —
[Y]our child’s healing can begin taking place before your very eyes. — New Family Revolution [website] (2003, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
RAD, ADHD, PTSD, Depression and Bi-Polar. … all treatable with Dr. Post’s methods. — For All Things a Season (2003), p. 91
Q [from audience member]: [C]hildren who present with symptoms we call RAD, and then they go through a two-day intensive — do those symptoms go away?
A: For the most part. I’d say 90 percent of that symptomology goes away. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)During the intensive phase I will be accessing deeper brain release patterns, which are far more significant than the level that the medication is affecting. Certainly, on the second day, it will not be necessary for your child to receive the medications. — For All Things a Season (2003), p. 88
[The parents are] going to have to continue to be there to create containment. … because two days doesn’t fix anything. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— “Body Memory” —
And so, what’s the research statistic that says, oh gosh, 50-80% of women who’ve had hysterectomies have a history of sexual abuse, because that is all that trauma is stored in that pelvic-stomach area. … So that’s another indicator of how powerful emotions, trauma-attached emotions and cells can be in our body. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
And as we know, we have a lot of electricity in our brains. A lot of electrical activation in our brains. And all of this goes down into our physiology. And all this trauma attaches itself to these cells and just kind of resides around in there until we get angry or until we feel threatened, or until we have a loss, until we feel abandoned, and all these issues are triggered again. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
Candace Pert, who’s probably one of the most astonishing psychoneuroimmunological researchers, has stated that trauma attaches to cells within our body and gets stored down in our body. So we have this adverse, negative experience, this trauma. It attaches in our body and never really goes away until you access it. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
These traumatic experiences are stored, and for most children are buried, as unprocessed and unexpressed memories within the body/mind system. — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), p. 4
Candace Pert, in her groundbreaking book, Molecules of Emotion, proved through scientific research that emotions connected to painful, adverse experiences are stored deep within the cells of the body. Thus, the dissipation of these emotions requires both a thought and a physical sensation. These stored molecules of emotions in the body/mind system cannot be controlled or maintained by cognitive thoughts or cognitive resolutions. — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), p. 35
— “In Utero and Birth Trauma” —
Some children are born in a state of disregulation. That’s right. Because of birth trauma. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
What were you NOT told? Adoption is TRAUMA. … Even with the latest scientific findings regarding the brain and physiology, the majority of professionals do not understand that trauma can and does take place for many children during their unborn, in-utero experience … that even the earliest adoption creates a traumatic experience for the infant. Even the infant adopted at birth! … Such children go on to receive numerous years of therapy and receive diagnoses ranging from Reactive Attachment Disorder and Bi-Polar, to Depression and Aspergers Disorder among many others. — “Post Institute Attachment Family Camp,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (25 Oct 2005, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
For the newborn adopted at birth, the very first transition was being placed from the arms of his birthmother to the arms of his adoptive mother. — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), p. 75
However, anytime in foster care is too much time due to the traumatic break which occurs between the infant and biologically [sic] mother at birth. — “Welcome to Post for Parents,” Post for Parents [website] (9 Aug 2006, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
A child’s internal regulatory system is so sensitive that he or she will feel three times as much as an adult. … And especially in utero, in the fetus, that’s all the kids know is feeling. Because they’re surrounded by all the fluid. They’re just getting feelings passed down from the parent. From the outside. All the feelings, the stress. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— Resurrecting Catharsis —
I was saying, “Bryan, you need to do some holdings with [this child]. Help her get these feeling out.” — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
Whenever the emotions are accessed, you get all this rage and this hurt and this upset. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
“ …[Y]ou look really mad right now. I want you to tell me you’re mad. Really, tell me you’re angry you have to turn the TV off.” — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), p. 68
Even though her feelings and behavior was coming from something unconscious … once they came to conscious level, that all the behavior resolved itself. … Dr. Welch says it’s not so much the importance of the cause of those emotion or anything else. It’s just the emotion itself. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
And when you get to the feelings. “I’m mad. Give me your mad! Cause it makes me mad to hear you say things like that. And it hurts me, so you give me those feelings! Let’s have them! Cause I’m not going to have this you threatening to kill me stuff. That’s not going to happen!” — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
In Home Family-Centered Intensive.…[T]he mother may work with the child via physical containment initially, then the husband may work with the wife in the same manner, the grandparents may work with each other, etc. … Physical containment is a required tool in this context due to the ability to incorporate all five senses: touch, sight, smell, temperature, sound. … Therapists act as teacher/coach to the family during the therapeutic process and encourage family members toward emotional release. — “In Home Family-Centered Intensive,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (10 Feb 2003, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
— Recovering Memories? —
She equally had a pretty traumatic history. Her mother was very neglectful and had gave her chocolate milk when she was an infant which almost killed her. And the little girl, she accessed that during the intensive, and was just so mad that her mom had tried to kill her. That’ what she thought it was. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— Holding Therapy for the Whole Family —
I focused just on the mom and dad. And she was probably the most intense holding session that I’ve ever had. I mean it. Her rage. It was, it was really deep. I haven’t experienced a holding session like that before. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
Dr. Welch feels that somewhere in the family’s history there’s an attachment break, and it’s that attachment break that’s passed on and carried down from generation to generation. Therefore, treatment not only has to involve the primary family, but in a lot of cases, it has to also involve the grandparents. … To work on their own issues that could be causing some of their stress … that way the emotions can be expressed and stress can be regulated. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
So what I say … get into a situation where you can have some really intense holding done with the whole family. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
But the way that I access the state level of memory in therapy is through multi-sensory experiential therapy. It’s a process I do with families. It’s a dyadic process that I do with families. I start with the mom and the dad. Then I do dad and mom. Then I do mom and child or dad and child, or both parents and child. It’s a process of the family members touching one another in a loving, nurturing, cradle position, or laying down on a mat, side by side facing one another. And I do this in a process over three days where I’m there for 10 to 12 hours a day, dealing with really traumatic situations. Where I have something as significant as setting [sic] on a couch, and having mom hold dad in her lap, so he can look at her … eye to eye, face to face. She’s holding him. And from that point, I take them into the deeper experiences of their emotional processes. I help them express, process and understand between the two of them. And when I create that environment, I’m activating all the sensory pathways. … That’s when you’re going to have the most dramatic change in therapy. … Just through something that simple which is something that is often taboo in the therapeutic situation. … It’s only nurturing. … It’s not aggressive. — “Family-Centered Regulatory Therapy” (2003)
— Regulatory Parenting —
Most historical parenting methods are ineffective. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
Insist on being hugged back. Insist on hugging. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
[Her granddaughter] was threatening to run away, and she didn’t quite know what to do. … And I said, “Have you been doing some holding with her?” — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
[A mother told me,] “Sometimes [her 14-year-old daughter] wants to go get cereal. … And she’ll pull out the biggest bowl and she’ll fill it all the way to the top. She’ll fill it running over with milk, and she’ll eat one bite out of it.” [And I told her,] “Absolutely. Absolutely. Make her cereal for her, because she can’t do it. She’s not equipped yet to do it. That’s because it’s developmental.” — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
When [children are] regulated, they’re going to learn that naturally from their parents how to make logical choice. … And then if they’re really well regulated, you’re really attuned to them, you’re going to say, "Tell me what you were feeling for you to make that decision." And then they tell you what they were feeling, and that’s it. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— On Stealing —
[Stealing?] Make [the child] take it back, if that makes the parent feel better. … [I]f in their disregulation, they’re going to steal, then the parent needs to take extra responsibility to make sure that the child is not in an environment to where they can steal. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
When discovering your child has stolen, recognize that he needs you to … keep him close to you in that environment; limit his space and create containment for him … — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), p. 54
— Dismissing Conventional Therapy —
[O]ther therapies are missing the boat. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
Learn why conventional therapy will cost you years of time, tears, and tantrums. — “Post Institute Attachment Family Camp” (2005)
— “Recreating Developmental Experiences” —
Hoarding and Gorging … When discovering this behavior, recognize that your child needs you to … bottle-feed him to revisit an interrupted developmental process. — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), p. 63
[P]arents are encouraged to … [b]egin bottle-feeding your child … yes, begin bottle-feeding your twelve or even fourteen-year-old. If a child needs it, regardless of his age, he will take the bottle. … Remember that if the child did not receive sufficient developmental nurturing, then he has a barrier in his development. Until the barrier is addressed, the other levels are going to continue to stagger. The bottle-feeding should only occur while the child is in the parent’s arms. — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), p. 59
— On Listening to Children —
If I’m furious [and saying] “Don’t touch me! You know. Leave me alone. I don’t want to talk right now.” I’m just angry. I’m just angry. I’m not intentionally trying to push you away. Actually what I need you to do is to hold me. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
If you have a teen that’s real angry, and they’re pushing you away, is it best to try to bring them in? To pull them in? I’d say most definitely. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— Personal Contact —
Remember that lack of eye contact … is a signal that the child is in a state of fear and overly stressed. — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), p. 90
Give the baby lots and lots of skin on skin contact. In other words, as soon as you get that little tyke home, strip him or her down minus everything but a diaper, bare your upper body and have your husband wrap the two of you in a sheet in a manner that will allow you to continue to be mobile. Carry the baby all day long, as much as possible. … When you are not holding or carrying the baby, have your husband do it. This is very very important. — “9 critical tips for adoptive parents…,” Journey to Me, the Adoption Gathering Place [website] (undated, accessed 14 Apr 2007)
…The less stimulation for the first year the better. — “9 critical tips for adoptive parents…,” (undated)
— “Attachment-Needs Cycle” —
We’re all familiar with the attachment-needs-meeting cycle. The child has a need. He cries. Parents come … what you’re doing is imprinting a positive physiological transaction that’s occurring in the body. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— Randolph Attachment Disorder Questionnaire (RADQ) —
[T]hese kids were all measured using the RADQ of Dr. [Elizabeth] Randolph who’s presenting here today. And I was telling her it’s a great piece of work. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— “Neurology” —
The problem is that you hear so much about neurology, but you miss out about the connection what neurology is connected to. Neurology is connected to physiology. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
Oxytocin stimulates in the gut, comes up and affects the brain. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
In order for the brain to heal, everything in the body has got to heal. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
Einstein said we only really use ten percent of our brain. And Karl Jung said that 90 percent of what we do comes from our unconscious. So if you think about that. And you have stress. And you have all those trauma-attached cells and reactions linger around in your body. If 90 percent of what we do comes from our unconscious, then that’s going to determine 90 percent of our emotions. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
[W]here it was too late and Tina already became aggressive, her foster mother could help Tina understand that she was too stressed to play at that moment … Tina’s foster mother would then be addressing Tina at her state level of survival, calming her activated primal fear that is stored within the cells of Tina’s body. Tina’s foster mother would then have become Tina’s external hippocampus… — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), p. 67
— Anti-Medication —
I feel like the medication industry has done more to cripple parents from taking responsibility than anything else. … It’s nothing but a crutch. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
And even if the parents says, “Okay, I’m willing to take responsibility,” and they say, “Okay, I get that concept.” Then they go and give their kid medication. Same thing. Same thing. You’re not taking responsibility, because then you’re just medicating. You’re letting the medication take responsibility for your child. — Welch Method Therapy for All Ages (2001)
— Scare Tactics —
The beautiful child brought into the home for love and security, can quickly turn into the Beast. — “When Beauty Becomes the Beast,” Post Institute for Family-Centered Therapy [website] (19 May 2002, accessed 1 Dec 2006)
— Repeat After Me… —
[I]t is imperative that you read and reread this section as often as possible to fully comprehend the recommended new perspective. — Beyond Consequences, Logic, and Control (2006), p. 1
Look in the mirror and tell yourself: “I am a good parent. I am a strong bow setting forth viable and capable arrows. I am the farmer of my garden and upon these banks I shall grow a tender and ripe fruit. I shall allow these sacred waters to nurture this crop, provide for it those sacred elements, and from that place I will guide it into life.” — For All Things a Season (2003), p. 61