Trauma
What is trauma?
A scary, upsetting, confusing event that threatens or causes harm.
What is sexual abuse?
Child sexual abuse includes any kind of sexual contact between an adult and a child. Sexual contact by a teenager or another child that is older is also sexual abuse.
Do you have an animal? If so, what's its name?
_______________
True or false: all kids react the same way when experiencing trauma.
False. There are many common ways that kids/teens react to trauma, but they can still react in unique ways --- and they are all OK.
Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse can occur in all kinds of families.
Fact.
What are different types of trauma?
There are lots of kinds of trauma. Bullying, community violence, natural disasters (earthquakes, tornadoes, fires, floods), serious illness, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, etc.
Who experiences child abuse?
Kids of all ages, genders, sexual orientations, races, ethnicities, and economic backgrounds can be physically, sexually or emotionally abused. As many as 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 13 boys will experience child abuse before the age of 18.
True or false. Therapy is a safe place for kids to talk about whatever they want.
True.
True or false: kids should be able to manage their emotions and feelings about their sexual abuse by themselves.
False. All kids need other people to support them in procesing and managing the emotions that they have.
Kids feelings, emotions, reactions to physical, sexual, or emotional abuse are all completely normal.
Fact.
How can trauma impact how kids bodies feel?
Kids can feel many things in their bodies after they have experienced a trauma. Including feeling tense, jittery, feeling like they can't stop moving, feeling like they can't move at all, feeling their heart racing, stomach aching, head aching, or other things.
Do most kids ask for help right away when they have been physically or sexually abused?
No. Sometimes kids worry that they will get in trouble, that people won't believe them, or that someone else will get in trouble.
What do we do during a therapy session?
Talk, write, draw, play, and learn about physical abuse and trauma and lots of other things.
What emotions do kids experience after a trauma?
Confusion, sadness, anger, numbness, relief, fear, anxiety, guilt, shame, etc.
Myth.
What is a trauma trigger?
Whose fault is it when physical or sexual abuse happens?
The person who was physically or sexually abused is never at fault for what happened. It is always the person who did the abusing who is at fault.
How do kids feel about coming to therapy?
Kids can feel a lot of ways about coming to therapy. Nervous, scared, calm, excited, happy, etc. How do you feel about coming to therapy?
Why might kids not feel relieved after telling a trauma?
Kids who have been abused might feel connected to the person who harmed them. It might be someone in their family and a friend, because of this they worry that the other person might get in trouble or that something bad might happen to the other person.
Talking about our abuse (whether physical, sexual, or emotional) will only make things worse.
Myth.
What are common experiences that kids have after experiencing a trauma?
Having upsetting memories come to mind, have scary or upsetting dreams, reliving or feeling like they are experiencing the trauma again, strong feelings, strong body responses, trying not to think about the trauma, staying away from things that remind them of the trauma, blaming themselves for what happened, feeling embarrassed or shame, having a hard to sleeping, not being able to trust other people, having a hard time remembering parts of the trauma, etc.
Who sexually abuses kids?
7% are strangers, 59% are friends, 34% are family members.
What are the things we will do in therapy?
Learn about trauma and physical abuse, learn how to relax, talk about feelings and how to manage them, talk about thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and how they are all connected, explore your story and experiences, tell your story to your caregiver, and learn about safety.
Why might kids be scared to talk about a trauma?
They worry that people won't believe them, that they will get in trouble, that someone else might get in trouble, etc.
You are brave!
Fact!