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Kids Need Help with Trauma
Too!
Adults can forget how
hard life can be for children and adolescents. We got through our own
childhoods as best we could, but we might have fared better with
difficult situations if we'd had help. When
something traumatic happens to a child or adolescent, they don't have
the same resources that adults have. I have worked with many
young
trauma survivors. Many have been referred from Child and Family
Services. Quite often these young survivors blame themselves, feel
shame, and believe they have to be "strong" for the family, which can
lead to problems later on. Some of the things that
can be traumatic for kids includes:
- Complicated
divorces (where there is much anger and
volatility in the home and the child may be placed in the middle)
- Surviving
a disaster (e.g., hurricanes, fires, floods, car
wrecks, burglaries)
- Seeing
someone they care about being physically or sexually
abused, like family members
- Physical
violence or harsh corporal punishment
- School
bullying and harsh teasing
- Rape
and sexual assault
- Neglect
or abandonment
- Loving
someone significant who is addicted to drugs or
alcohol
- Loving
someone significant who has severe psychological or
emotional difficulties
- Harsh
and ongoing criticism.... and so on.
When
these
things happen,
kids' trust can be eroded. They can suffer low self esteem,
and can
also develop some of these symptoms:
- Trusting
people too easily
or withdrawing from even safe, familiar people in their lives
- Getting
into fights easily
- Disorganized
behavior -- they lack focus and
purpose in their actions
- Acting
out their aggression on other people or on pets or
animals
- Withdrawal
from peers and adults
- Wetting
or soiling themselves in inappropriate places (like
the bed, in their clothes)
- Acting
like they did they were much younger (and perhaps
more closely cared for)
- Becoming
anxious and upset when away from caregivers or
family members
- Nightmares
and night terrors
- School
problems
- Self-mutilation
(cutting, burning, etc.)
- Reckless
behavior and risk-taking -- putting themselves in
dangerous situations to see if someone will rescue them from themselves
- Risky
sexual behavior
- Drug
and
alcohol use
- Problems
with eating -- under-eating or over-eating to cope
with the pain... and more.
In providing a safe,
nurturing
environment in which to express their feelings about the traumatic
events -- whether through talk, play, art, or sandplay, I help children
aged 5-17 years old resolve their traumas and
get their lives back on track. If you know a child or adolescent who
could use my assistance and are in a legal position to get them help,
please call me at 661-233-6771.
Let's
make sure the next generation of
people has less reason to be upset, worried and depressed.
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