Trauma
FACT or MYTH
FACT or MYTH
FACT or MYTH: Most children and teens experience trauma
FACT
2/3 or ~66% of children and teens report at least 1 traumatic event by age 16
How do you feel when you get a bear hug from your parents? (name 1 feeling)
Happy, loved, calm, excited, warm, safe
What is an abuser and who can be an abuser?
Abuser is someone who causes trauma. It can be anyone - a stranger, family member, parent or caregiver, sibling, etc . Abuser's are more often someone we know personally than a stranger.
What is trauma?
Trauma is a "really bad, sad or scary thing" that a child experiences.
True or False:
Trauma reactions are ways kids respond to really bad, sad or scary things that happened to them.
True
Trauma reactions can include having bad nightmares, not wanting to think about what happened, and feeling "out of control" when upset.
FACT or MYTH: More than half of all families have been affected by a natural disaster
Fact
How do kids feel when they get in trouble? (name 1 feeling)
Sad, frustrated, angry, upset, disappointed, ashamed, guilty
Who's fault is it that trauma happens?
The abuser! It is never the victim's fault no matter what
Name 1 type of trauma
Psychological, physical, or sexual abuse; community or school violence; witnessing domestic violence; sudden or violent loss of a loved one; physical or sexual assault; neglect; serious accidents or illness
TRUE or FALSE: Trauma can cause long-lasting mental health and physical health problems if person does not participate in therapy.
TRUE
MYTH or FACT: Most kids and teens who experience something scary have an easy time talking about it
MYTH
Most kids don't like talking about scary or upsetting things (especially to people they don't know well)
How do kids feel when someone they love dies? (name 1 feeling)
Very sad, depressed, upset, angry, guilty
Why do people abuse others?
There can be many reasons. The person may have been abused themselves and are repeating the actions they know (they may even mistake those actions as showing love). They may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol leading to making bad decisions. They may have a mental illness meaning they need help to change their way of thinking. These are not excuses however and do not make their actions ok!
What is physical assault
The act of causing physical harm or unwanted physical contact with someone
Name today's date!
October 14th, 2020
FACT or MYTH: Witnessing or learning about physical harm done to someone else can be considered a traumatic event
FACT
How do kids feel when they have seen something scary or learned something bad happened to a loved one? (name 2 feelings)
Angry, scared, unsafe, frustrated, worried, ashamed, guilty, sad, powerless, confused, disgusted
Scenario: Johnny is always getting in trouble. He yells, throw things, refuses to do what his parents say, etc. Johnny's dad starts to hit him and leave a mark on his face when he "acts up".
What type of abuse is this? Who's fault is it that it happened?
This is physical abuse. It is Johnny's father's fault. No matter how Johnny acts, his father is the adult and needs to find other appropriate ways to discipline. It is never ok to hit a child in this way
What is relaxation? Bonus if you name one way you relax.
Relaxation is when someone feels very calm, or things that someone does to help themselves feel calmer.
Examples include listening to music, watching videos, playing with fidget toys, taking a break
Name two common trauma reactions
Common reactions include:
- Avoidance (not wanting to think about it)
- Anger outbursts
- Trouble Sleeping (nightmares)
- Flashbacks (feeling back at that time)
- Somatic complaints (headaches, stomach aches)
- Feeling very sad, depressed, lonely, anxious
FACT or MYTH: Most people who look differently than us are dangerous
MYTH
It's hard to tell who is dangerous based on how they look. But there might be some red flags we can think about that would be a better way to know if they're safe.
How come lots of kids have a hard time talking about their trauma?
The emotions are really big and really upsetting, so it is hard to talk about. But if kids talk about what happened little by little, over time they feel much better!
Test your knowledge: When is abuse appropriate? When is it the child's fault?
It is NEVER appropriate. It is NEVER a child's fault.
Why do kids go to therapy?
Lots of kids and teens have problems that affect how they feel, think, or act. Therapy is a way to help with these problems.
True or False:
There is no treatment for recovery from trauma
FALSE
There are many therapy treatments to help kids recover from trauma. The treatment we're using is proven to help kids feel better.