Trauma in childhood: Experts discuss new therapeutic approaches in Amberg-Sulzbach

Trauma in childhood: Experts discuss new therapeutic approaches in Amberg-Sulzbach

Around 100 specialists gathered on October 19, 2025 in the König-Ruprecht-Saal of the Amberg-Sulzbach district office to discuss a very current topic at the 28th “Early Help” forum of the KoKi (Coordinating Child Protection Agency Amberg-Sulzbach): trauma and traumatization in infancy and toddlerhood. The event was aimed at expectant parents, single parents and parents of children between the ages of 0 and 6 to inform them about various therapy concepts.

The speaker Amelie Herrndobler, an experienced child and adolescent psychotherapist and certified trauma therapist, played a central role. She presented Katrin Boger's Integrative Attachment-Oriented Trauma Therapy (I.B.T.), which is considered an innovative approach to treating early childhood trauma, for example after birth complications or painful procedures. “Untreated trauma in the first years of life can have profound consequences for psychological, neurobiological and physical development,” warned Herrndobler. Therefore, early psychotherapeutic treatment is essential to avoid consequential damage, according to oberpfalzecho.de reports.

Early childhood trauma and its consequences

The speaker examined the topic of early childhood trauma in detail and explained the various therapeutic approaches that she presented. As part of the I.B.T. Proven methods such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma narrative work are used. The focus is also on systemic, bonding and body-oriented approaches. “The therapeutic approach aims to work with caregivers and improve the quality of the bond,” explained Herrndobler, who also discussed the clinical experiences of the therapy: These show that a rapid and complete remission of the symptoms can often be achieved – a real ray of hope for affected families.

But what makes I.B.T.® so special? This novel concept not only combines the methods mentioned above, but also focuses on direct work with infants and toddlers. This is particularly important because more and more scientific studies show that early processing of emotionally stressful experiences is crucial for the healthy development of children. In this way, the negative consequences of untreated trauma, which often manifest themselves in behavioral problems, can be mitigated or even prevented, as PubMed emphasizes.

A space for questions and exchange

After the insightful presentation, participants had the opportunity to ask the speaker questions, which further promoted exchange and understanding of this important topic. The event sees itself as an important platform for networking experts from different areas and exchanging ideas about preventive measures in child protection, as it aims to support as many parents as possible in their parenting dynamics.

The initiative marks an important step in raising awareness of the issue of trauma in early childhood and impressively shows how close cooperation between specialists and parents can help to optimally support children and nip negative developments in the bud. Attention to preventive help and therapeutic interventions in the first years of life is more important than ever.