“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10
Over 200 million people have experienced some type of traumatic event at least once in their life. Trauma can occur in a variety of ways across generations. So what is trauma? Trauma can be classified as going through a very freighting event that causes pain. During the early years children are forming trusting relationships. If something traumatic happens during these years, that negative event leaves an imprint in their brain.
Traumatic experiences such as fire, an accident, natural disasters, serious illnesses, abuse, silent traumas, and more, can impact a person emotionally or physically. Trauma can affect a person’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and the long-term effects can include:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Eating Disorders
- Self-injury
- Suicide
- Substance abuse
The majority of children and adolescents manifest resilience in the aftermath of traumatic events. This is especially true of single-incident exposure. So, prayerfully, let us help families navigate these real-life challenges and serve as advocates for all our children, youth and young adults. We are reminded in Psalm 34:18 “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Amen!
Books
- The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel Van Der Kolk, M.D.
- Reaching & Teaching Children Exposed to Trauma, Dr. Barbara Sorrels
- The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist’s Notebook — What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing, Bruce D. Perry and Maia Szalavitz
- Trauma Informed Teaching Strategies That Are Good For All, Nathan Levy, Melissa Sadin, and Dr. James Singagliese
- Building a Trauma-Informed, Compassionate Classroom: Strategies & Activities to Reduce Challenging Behavior, Improve Learning Outcomes, and Increase Student Engagement, Jennifer Bashant
- The Trauma-Sensitive Classroom: Building Resilience with Compassionate Teaching, Patricia A. Jennings
- Fostering Resilient Learners: Strategies for Creating a Trauma-Sensitive Classroom, Kristin Souers
Articles
- Childhood Trauma: Understanding How Trauma Impacts Mental Health and Wellness, Duquesne University School of Nursing
- Childhood Trauma’s Lasting Effects on Mental and Physical Health, Cleveland Clinic
- How Childhood Trauma Changes our Mental Health into Adulthood, APS
- Understanding Child Trauma, SAMHSA
- Understanding Fight, Flight, Freeze and the Fawn Response, Psychology Today
- Fight…Flight…Freeze… or Flock, Focusing Initiatives International
- Responses To Threat: Freeze, Appease, Flight, Fight, Psychology Tools
- The Fourth Trauma We Don’t Talk About, The Mighty, [PTSD Support)
Videos
Additional Resources
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