 A traumatic or life-threatening event that is outside the normal range of daily human experience  “An emotional wound or shock that creates substantial lasting damage to the psychological development of a person.” (The American Heritage College Dictionary).  These events confront people with such horror and threat that it may temporarily or permanently alter their capacity to cope, their perception of biological threat and their self-concepts.

 Single incident trauma  Complex trauma

 Sexual Abuse  Violence (family, social, predatory)  Terrorism  Natural or other disasters (hurricane, earthquake, fire)  Multiple disruptions of attachment  Rape/Assaults  Murder  Threaten with a weapon  War  Loss of parent  Chronic neglect  Parental substance abuse  Parental mental illness  Secondary trauma

 Difficult pregnancy  Difficult birth  Early hospitalization

Cortex- thinking processing reasoning Limbic system – doing responding action Amygdala –smoke detector/signals release of hormones Hippocampus – assists in transfer of information cortex Limbic system amygdala

 Any stimulus which acts as a reminder of a traumatic experience, and leads to set of behaviors/actions designed to cope with the original experience  A trigger may be  Internal (emotion, physical sensation)  External (facial expressions, crowds, smells, sounds)  A combination

When a child does this…  Disobeys instructions She/he may be trying to express this…  I didn’t understand all the sounds and words coming at me because I was deprived of sound and language exposure when I was young and can’t process them yet  I want to be in control because adults have always proven unreliable  I have learning delays that prevent me from understanding these instructions Karyn Purvis (2007) “The Connected Child”

When a child does this…  Becomes angry easily She/he may be trying to express this…  I am terrified and trying to protect myself from a situation that resembles a terrible experience I had in the past  My blood sugar level is uncomfortably low and I don’t know how to deal with (or recognize) my hunger appropriately  I must be in control because I’ve never known trustworthy adults before  I am frustrated because I don’t know how to express my feelings and needs Karyn Purvis (2007) “The Connected Child”

 ADHD  PTSD  Anxiety Disorders

 Trauma can impact children’s ability to understand, tolerate, and manage their feelings. When triggered, children often don’t know what is upsetting them, only that there is a bad feeling inside and something needs to happen to make it go away.  Without adequate coping skills, children will react. They work out their distress with their bodies and through their actions.  Talking to people about their feelings can be harder than dealing them. For kids who have been hurt or neglected by adults, reaching out for help may feel dangerous or scary. - Kinniburgh and Blaustein

 Most children communicate through their behavior. The ability to use words to share feelings and experiences grows over the course of development.  They need help understanding their own feelings and having those validated.  The experiences driving traumatized children’s behaviors may be less obvious, but at the core, the feelings are the same: fear, sadness, anxiety, or anger.

 Validate feelings  Reflective listening  Tracking  Help them to use their tools  If you are doing it too, they are more likely to do it  Be on their level  Eye contact  Face to face  Touch if appropriate  Stay calm!  They will pick up on your emotions

 Do not be afraid to talk about trauma  If child brings it up, listen, answer questions, provide comfort and support  Avoid shock, surprise, or shaming  Provide a consistent predictable pattern for the day  Make sure the child knows the pattern, if the day includes something new or different, make sure the child knows beforehand.  Discuss expectations for behavior as well as consequences  Make sure there are clear rules and clear consequences  Be consistent  Meet need before giving consequence

 Watch closely for signs of re-enactment  Play, drawing, behaviors  Being withdrawn, daydreaming, avoiding others  Physiological hyperactivity  Protect the child  Stop or cut short activities that are upsetting or re- traumatizing or the child.  Give the child choices and some sense of control  When a traumatized child feels they do not have control, it is likely they will be more symptomatic.  Give choices where either choice is acceptable.

 Some ideas:  Stress balls/ Fiddle Toys  Quiet Place  Extra attention / talking it through  Play: draw safe place  Listen to behavior  Emotional Age  Transition time  Predictability and consistency  Activities for up-regulation or down-regulation  Examine the need for increased or decreased sensory stimulation

 Part I

 Bethany Christian Services  Family Counseling Center  ADOPTS – specialized therapy  Resources:  David Ziegler: “Traumatic Experience and the Brain”  Bruce Perry: “The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog”  Bruce Perry: Child Trauma Academy (  The National Child Traumatic Stress Network: (  TCU Institute for Child Development ( Karyn Purvis: Empowered to Connect (

 Principles of working with Traumatized Children  Early Childhood trauma  final.pdf final.pdf  _traumatic_event.pdf _traumatic_event.pdf  Understanding Child Traumatic Stress  atic_stress_brochure_ pdf atic_stress_brochure_ pdf  Child Development and Trauma Guide 

 Psychological and Behavioral impact of Trauma  Preschool   Elementary School   Middle School   High School 

 Trust Based Relational Intervention  IDEAL Response