Children & Therapy: Why Expert Means Experience

When it comes to therapy, especially in the context of setting age-appropriate therapy goals for children, the capacity of the therapy space to create opportunities of experiencing is an invaluable tool.

So, starting off with a fun fact, the origin of the word expert comes from the Latin word expertus, meaning “to try” or “experience.” As much as I love how accessible information has become, sometimes I wonder if the intention of the word, expert, has lost its meaning. This rings especially true now that we know, neurologically, there are different processes involved in knowing (through information retention) and knowing.

Let me explain. Our brains develop in a bottom-up sort of way, meaning many parts involved in implicit memory (or memory your brain stores without conscious thinking) is a huge part of child development. Two of these parts, the amygdala and hippocampus, play roles in encoding emotional and sensory experiences into that implicit memory. This kind of memory plays an integral part in how we react to day-to-day events. Take driving, for instance. A seasoned driver may be able to have their internal train of thought focused on that upcoming deadline or what a friend had said last week. All the while, there is still a knowing of what it feels like to adjust shifting between the gas and the break pedal, where the car is in relation to the road, etc. There is also a knowing of when and where these things need to happen, even though the perceived point of focus is on that train of thought.

For children, especially young children, this creates a perfect opportunity for them to become experts of themselves. This includes their emotional experiences, what it feels like to return to a state of regulation, what it feels like to be seen, soothed, and secure in a nurturing relationship, and so on. Better yet, this sense of expertise can develop into a sense of confidence, empowerment, and self-efficacy in a world where many things feel outside of our control.