12 DECEMBER 1,2012
Smoke Signals
Behavioral health offerings expand for youtth
Nicole Estrada, a Tribal
member who has worked
with LA. gang members,
leads the expansion
By Ron Kartell
Smoltr SiimiIi ilnl u rier
Nicole Estrada is giving Tribal
families more kinds of help for
behavioral problems affecting
the very youngest. In March, she
was named Youth Mental Health
and Chemical Dependency coun
selor in the Behavioral Health
Program.
Today, she says, the department
has an improved play room. It is
set up primarily for children 3 to
10 years old. It includes a sandbox
"the number one recommended
toy," Estrada says and other
therapy-driven toys.
Toys such as doctor bags and tea
sets allow children to express nur
turing. Bop bags and plastic guns
allow children to express aggres
sion, Estrada said. Puppets give
children the chance to safely act out
what they are feeling and shelves in
the room are packed with "talking,
feeling, doing" games.
Children often act the opposite
Photo by Michelle Alaimo
NicoU Estrada started as tha Tribe's Youth Mantal Haalth and Chamical
Dependency counselor in March. Since then she has had a big hand in
improving the Behavioral Health Program's play room by adding therapy
driven toys, such as a sandbox, the most recommended toy.
of adults in cases of depression,
Estrada said. An adult might be
lethargic while a child might be
aggressive, but, of course, she
noted, that individuals often react
differently.
Success may also look different
Tanas
Intervention Z
Services to be provided to babies &
moms-to-be:
Checkups
Cleanings, If applicable
Injection-free fillings, if needed and
appropriate
Cavity prevention treatment
Age-appropriate goodie bags
Raffle ticket for one of two blankets
to be raffled every six months
Confederated Tribes
of Grand Ronde
Dental Clinic
Pregnant women
and babies under 2
Tribal members: pregnant women or
0-2 year olds (teeth or no teeth!)
who come in for a scheduled dental
checkup or other appointment will
be entered in a
raffle for a baby
Pendleton
Blanket!
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To schedule call:
503-879-2020
for every client.
"Children can't verbalize loss and
grief," Estrada said. "This is why
we have play therapy for children
where we might have talk therapy
for adults. The idea behind play
therapy is, 'playing is communica
tion and toys are the words.' "
One young child, facing the loss of
a friend, shows no outward sign of
grief, but in the play room he gets
to act it out through play.
This is "child-centered play ther
apy, driven by the kids," she said.
"I don't go in with an agenda. That
gives them the freedom of expres
sion." Art- and play-therapy is effec
tive with older youth as well, but
as children get older a multitude
of issues contribute to an overall
problem. Some issues, like alcohol
and drug use, benefit from group
interaction.
The department is also mov
ing toward initiating self-esteem
groups.
The goal of therapy is to "see a
reduction in unwanted behaviors,"
Estrada said. This comes about
with improvement in family com
munication and a more satisfying
family environment, leading to
greater self-esteem.
"If you see those things improve,
the unwanted behaviors will disap
pear," she said.
Estrada works with a number of
related departments on campus,
including Youth Education, Youth
Prevention and Head Start to get
to know the children in those pro
grams, to let them know they have
options and hopefully to make sure
they are comfortable enough to
come see her if a need arises.
One of her overriding goals is
"stopping the stigma of therapy."
All of the approximately 25 to 30
youth who see Estrada participate
with the agreement and involve
ment of parents. Of those clients,
about a third are 20 to 24 years old,
a third are 10 years into the teens,
and a little less than a third are
mostly 3 to 5 year olds.
Estrada grew up as a Southern
California member of the Tribe.
"I was the first in my family to
go to college and get a degree," she
said. "It only was possible because
of the help of my family and the
Tribe.
"I went to school to be a marriage
and family therapist," she said, but
when she studied drug and alcohol
treatment at Phillips Graduate In
stitute in Chats worth, Calif., "The
light bulb went off and I knew that's
where I need to be."
She graduated from California
State University Northridge, where
she majored in psychology and mi
nored in American Indian studies.
Her early work took her to a
residential center where her cli
ents came from the gangs of Los
Angeles.
"I loved it. I absolutely loved it. I
was being promoted to run the drug
treatment program, but by then I
knew I wanted to give back to the
Tribe, and put out the word at the
Tribe that if anything opens up."
She is a dedicated exerciser, tak
ing advantage of all the Tribal fit
ness programs: "Spinning I love."
She is also taking in the beauty
of the state, the farmers' markets
"and helping resurrect my culture
is the cherry on the sundae for
me. I get to give back and learn
myself."
Her boyfriend, she said, "Gave up
everything to come north and be
with me." They live in Sherwood.
"Reconnecting with my summer
family has been amazing," she said.
"There have been so many benefits
to moving here." H
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