First Counseling Cards Developed for Youth Experiencing Trauma from School Violence and Bullying
Utilized After Professional Training at 25 Seoul Youth Counseling and Welfare Centers
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] On the 17th, the Seoul Metropolitan Government announced that it has developed a counseling card called ‘Todak Todak Ma-eum Tok Tok’ to help adolescents suffering from trauma (psychological trauma) caused by school violence and group bullying.
‘Todak Todak Ma-eum Tok Tok’ is composed of five themed cards based on the three-stage trauma recovery theory by Judith Herman, a professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. A total of 178 cards depict various psychological traumas experienced by adolescents through images and language.
The five themes are ▲Response Cards ▲Stabilization Cards ▲Trauma Cards ▲Self-talk Cards ▲Adaptation and Growth Cards. Three supplementary cards?Mind Cards, Number Cards, and Client Cards?also assist in counseling.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government explained that the distinctive feature is helping adolescents trapped in trauma to listen deeply to their inner voices and adapt and grow in reality through counseling using the ‘Todak Todak Ma-eum Tok Tok’ cards.
For example, for adolescents experiencing trauma due to school violence, counselors show the ‘Response Cards’ and ‘Trauma Cards’ and have them select the expression or image closest to their feelings or symptoms. Through cards expressed with symbols and metaphors, counselors can gain a deeper understanding of the client’s thoughts and experiences.
For adolescents who fear recalling or talking about the situation due to trauma, the ‘Stabilization Cards’ can be used to calm the mind and body. The ‘Self-talk Cards,’ which contain quotation phrases, help bring out inner speech, and the ‘Recovery and Growth Cards’ empower clients to find positive changes they can make in reality and take action.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to use the ‘Todak Todak Ma-eum Tok Tok’ cards at 25 youth counseling and welfare centers in the Seoul area. In the first half of this year, trauma counseling specialized training will be conducted for center counselors, followed by full-scale counseling. The city will analyze and research the effectiveness of the newly developed counseling cards through the youth counseling and welfare centers and will continuously develop customized programs to help adolescents overcome psychological trauma and grow healthily, making professional efforts. Inquiries about youth trauma counseling can be made to the Seoul Youth Counseling and Welfare Center.
Ko Seok-young, head of the Seoul Youth Policy Division, said, “We want to play a public role so that adolescents suffering from trauma compounded by the prolonged COVID-19 situation can regain psychological stability. We hope that ‘Todak Todak Ma-eum Tok Tok,’ the first youth psychological counseling tool developed nationwide, will be widely used.” He added, “Seoul City will continue to make policy efforts to support the recovery and growth of youths’ minds.”
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