01 - Trauma explained

Simply put, trauma is any distressing or disturbing event that exceeds your ability to cope. Most people think of soldiers returning home from war when they hear the word trauma and think “my experience isn’t that bad” - but trauma is trauma - it can also be things like divorce, a dog bite, car accident, or even a repeated life stressor.

02 - Common responses to trauma

There are many common responses to trauma and it tends to vary based on your developmental stage. However, one response that is common throughout developmental stages is that trauma weakens our “resilience zone” and causes us to bounce around between our “high zone” and “low zone”. That is, trauma weakens our ability to bounce back after a stressful or traumatic event, causing us to bounce around between being irritable/anxious and sad/tired with little “normalcy” in between (aka that emotional rollercoaster!)

03 — Things that help

• Give your child or teen concrete facts about the incident.

• If possible, ensure them they are safe. Do NOT make empty promises such as “everything will be okay”

• Validate your child’s or teen’s emotions (and yours!)

• Spend time with trusted friends & family.

• Participate in self-care: journaling, meditation/mindfulness, exercise, art activities, etc.

04 — How I can help

Understanding the trauma your child is experiencing and knowing what to do is not an easy task! Often times parents experience the same traumatic event and are trying to process difficult emotions alongside their child, which can cause increased stress and strain in the relationship. I can help you understand what your child is experiencing and provide proven strategies to support your child, while also helping you remain connected to them. By providing a safe, non-judgmental space for your child or teen to process their trauma they can begin to let go of the experience and get back to where they need and want to be.