Ep 42 - What is Blocked Care

Regulated & Relational

In this episode, Julie and Ginger talk about the concept of “Blocked Care”. Drs. Daniel Hughes and Jonathan Baylin first coined this concept in their book, Brain Based Parenting. This book was written with foster parents in mind, but blocked care can also be experienced by teachers and other caregivers of children impacted by early childhood trauma. What exactly does blocked care mean to caregivers and how can we avoid it? What are the signs of blocked care? Julie says. “The first sign is when you are doing all the right things, but the child’s neurobiology is reacting negatively. Your brain begins to react because you aren’t getting a reciprocal relationship. You are going through the motions but begin to expect no connections. Basically, your heart suddenly isn’t in it anymore.” If this sounds like you, we want to assure you that you’re not alone. This happens almost instinctively as a way of protecting yourself, but Julie and Ginger discuss some ways to help you through it. Recognize that this is not unusual and there is no shame in feeling this way. This is how we are wired. Reach out to ATN! This is why we are here. We can help you find resources. To order a copy of the book, Brain Based Parenting, go to ATN’s bookstore at https://bookshop.org/shop/AttachmentTraumaNetwork.