Trauma & Stress
This type of stress is short-term, mild, and supported by a caring adult.
What is positive stress?
This part of the brain is the alarm system and becomes overactive with trauma.
What is the amygdala?
Humans are biologically wired for this, especially when distressed.
What is connection?
This type of stress happens when stress is too intense, too often, and without a safe adult.
What is toxic stress?
This part of the brain is responsible for planning, reasoning, and impulse control.
What is the prefrontal cortex?
Caregivers should be described as these four things.
What is bigger, stronger, wiser, and kind?
These are early life experiences like abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction that impact development.
What are ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences)?
When a youth is escalated, this goes offline, making it hard to learn or listen.
What is the thinking brain (prefrontal cortex)?
This describes youth who appear calm and then suddenly escalate, but were already internally elevated.
What is a 0–60 youth?
Toxic stress keeps the body stuck in this mode.
What is survival mode (fight/flight/freeze)?
This phrase describes when the thinking brain disconnects and the survival brain takes
What is “flipping your lid”?
This key trauma-informed principle reminds us to address the nervous system before teaching behaviour.
What is regulate first, teach later?