Trauma-Informed Services

Trauma-informed services are designed to deliver mental health care in a manner that recognizes the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledges the role that violence and victimization play in the lives of many individuals who receive mental health services. This understanding drives the design of service systems to accommodate the vulnerabilities of trauma survivors, promote resiliency and recovery, and reduce and eliminate practices that have the potential to be traumatizing or re-traumatizing.

Trauma informed services are provided in a way that will facilitate child, youth, and family participation that is appropriate and helpful to the special needs of trauma survivors.

Healing and recovery take time and many questions, hurdles and frustrations may surface through a child’s recovery from PTSD.

What can cause child traumatic stress?

Trauma can be the result of exposure to a natural disaster, sudden unanticipated death of a loved one, terminal illness of a loved one, car fatality, medical procedures, house fire, or events such as war and terrorism. Trauma may also occur if witnessing or being the victim of violence, serious injury, physical or sexual abuse, or being neglected. A child does not need to be a victim or a witness, but only related to a friend or peer to be traumatized themselves.  Sadly, about one of every four children will experience a traumatic event before the age of 16.

Childhood trauma is not a diagnosis.  It's an experience. 

If a child has gone through a terrible experience, it is normal for them to feel lots of emotions, such as distress, fear, helplessness, guilt, shame, or anger. They may start to feel better after a few days or weeks, but sometimes, these feelings do not go away.  For many, symptoms begin almost right away after the trauma occurs. For others, the symptoms may not begin or may not become an issue until years later.

Children and Adolescents may show the following signs and symptoms:

• Panic Attacks
• Chronic Pain
• Headaches
• Stomach Pain
• Diarrhea
• Lower Back Pain
• Sadness
• Anxiety
• Guilt
• Shame
• Feelings of mistrust
• Difficulty at school and/or social situations
• Inability to concentrate at home or school
• Sleep difficulty and nightmares
• Start and/or Increase use of drugs & alcohol
• Detachment from family and friends
• Loss of interest in once-enjoyed activities
• Suicidal thoughts
• Verbalizes a desire for revenge
• Survivor’s guilt
• Flashback images
  

Getting Help

The first step for all trauma survivors is getting to safety and feeling safe. Children who are being harmed need protection. The next step is understanding the role that trauma has played in a child’s life, past and present challenges, and beginning to heal. Each child's experience is unique, there is no one-size fits all remedy for trauma survivors.

• Listen to the child when they are ready to talk.
  Reassure that what happened is not their fault and that they are not alone.
  Be patient. Understand that it will take time for the healing process, do what you can to support the child.