Intro to Trauma Competent Care by Christian Alliance for Orphans

INTRO TO TRAUMA COMPETENT CARE GLOBAL network

Intro to Trauma Competent Care

The Power of the Middle Circle Lesson 1

GOAL: To understand the importance of one person in a child’s life. Our intentional presence matters in the lives of the children and adults we love and serve. Between the hurts and pain children experience and the resources they need is a gap. That is where you and I come in. We actually are those much-needed middle circle people. We can be that safe, nurturing adult. We just need to learn how to do it in a trauma competent/informed way. Whether you are a pastor, a layman, a parent, counselor or caregiver, you can be that person who is intentionally present, intentionally safe and intentionally consistent to meet a child’s greatest needs for connection. The power of the middle of circle has deep and scriptural significance in that this is exactly what Jesus is to us. God the Father saw us in our brokenness. Being aware of our need for healing resources, He sent Jesus as the middle circle connect to us.

REMEMBER: There is no successful life apart from connection. God set it up that way.

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Intro to Trauma Competent Care

Definitions – Positive, Tolerable, Toxic Stress and Trauma Lesson 2

GOAL: To define terms that will be used throughout the lessons. Stress is packaged in three different ways. POSITIVE STRESS: Some level of stress is positive. Positive stress is characterized by brief increases in heart rate and hormone levels – like adrenaline. Stress hormones start pumping, focusing the mind and preparing the body. When the flood of hormones of stress is short-lived it is a healthy experience. TOLERABLE STRESS: The tolerable stress response activates the body’s alert systems to a greater degree as a result of a more severe, longer lasting event. The keys to this being a tolerable or manageable stress are two things, inhibiting the tolerable stress from morphing into another layer of damaging stress: 1. The activation of the stress is time-limited. The event isn’t prolonged. 2. The child is buffered by healthy, understanding and nurturing adults who can help the child adapt and enable that child’s brain and body to recover from what might have been damaging effects.

REMEMBER: It is important to process that stressful event within 72 hours. TOXIC TRAUMATIC STRESS: The perception or belief that one’s life is indeed threatened results in the body and brain responding. Toxic Traumatic Stress may be caused by physical or emotional abuse, neglect, caregiver substance abuse, exposure to violence, or the accumulated burdens of family economic hardship without adequate adult support. Healthy body and brain development do require that a child experiences both positive and tolerable stress events. These experiences help the child learn skills to manage those events that happen and develop the capacity to respond normally. However, Toxic Traumatic Stress may have a devastating impact on a child’s health and well-being. © 2019 Christian Alliance for Orphans & Back2Back Ministries. cafo.org/global

Intro to Trauma Competent Care

A Deeper Look at Toxic Stress Lesson 3

GOAL: To focus on the toxicity of trauma and also briefly address what to do if you’ve experienced trauma. There is meaning behind behavior. There are reasons why a child or adult behaves the way he does and we need to find the reason and source and to help that person resolve it. Children or adults who have lived through adverse childhood experiences come from what we call CUTS: • • • •

Chronic Unpredictable Toxic Stress

Research shows that living in a CUTS environment can have long-term impact in five vital areas: • Brain. The brain is stuck in fear; it cannot protect and develop at the same time. • Body. Physical problems, including respiratory and digestive issues, sleep issues, problems with balance and coordination, skin problems and more. • Biology. Organs and tissues, even down to a cellular level, can be affected. Hormonal systems and the immune systems are impacted and the ability to fight off infections can be compromised. • Belief System. Who we are and what we do are formed early in life and come from the words we hear and the experiences we have. “As a man thinks, so is he.” Proverbs 23:7 • Behavior. Some children and adults display behaviors that are out of normal conduct because of what has happened to them. Instead of asking, “ What’s wrong with that person?” Consider the more compassionate question, “ What has happened to that person?”

Intro to Trauma Competent Care

Fear is a Bully Lesson 4

GOAL: To understand that an early toxic environment places our children in what we call the “fear brain” and what fear does to a child. Behavior is the language of children who have lost their voice. If we understand what fear does within the brain of a child, we can learn strategies to help them feel safe and lessen that fear. Reviewing the brain’s reaction to events: • Calm Brain. On a normal day, most of us operate from our calm brain. • Alert Brain. If we are startle, we move into our alert brain. • Fear Brain. If we experience a trauma event, we move to our fear brain. Developmental psychologist, Dr. Karyn Purvis, said that “fear bullies our kids into misbehavior.” Fear drives our kids into what looks like misbehavior. Fear is a big bully! There are many things that can happen to a child who is frozen in fear. The fear response is global. This means that fear affects the whole body- not just the mind. Here are just a few: 1. FEAR suppresses the conscience, creating trouble discerning right from wrong. 2. FEAR shuts off the cortex, which is the thinking part of the brain, causing difficulty in school. 3. FEAR has dramatic physical effects on a child’s body and biology. 4. FEAR causes our children to set up protective strategies for self-protection, including manipulation and lies, triangulation, control, aggression and violence. 5. FEAR alters brain chemistry. Stress chemicals continually flood the brain which has a damaging effect on a child’s ability to function. 6. FEAR suppresses the child’s voice. What children cannot talk out they will act out. 7. FEAR causes the child to be unable to discern the needs of others. 8. FEAR causes the child to go into fight or flight mode, and if they cannot fight or run away, they will freeze.

Intro to Trauma Competent Care

A First Step - Windows of Tolerance and Maximizing Safety Lesson 5 GOAL: To discuss windows of tolerance and what felt safety means in all the places where we minister to children. Windows of tolerance allow children to regulate themselves in response to disappointments and challenges. Reducing the fear in children through Felt Safety will result in greater windows of tolerance, lessening the intensity of dark emotions and improving behavior. Children who begin to experience an environment in which they truly feel safe feel freedom from the overwhelming emotions of fear and anxiety that control their emotions and behavior. Practical ways to help children not only be safe, but to feel safe : 1. Help our children’s bodies experience safety by providing the opportunity for physical activity, water, and a small nutritious bite to eat every two hours. 2. When a child receives safe, nurturing touch, they feel relaxation in the entire body. Safe touches reduce heart rate and blood pressure and helps children sleep better. Some children aren’t used to safe touch, so always ask a child first if it’s OK to give them a hug or put a hand on their shoulder. 3. An environment with routines and predictability will help to decrease a child’s anxiety. 4. Communicate safety to children through • Smiles: “I approve of you” • Eye contact: “I see you.” • Positive gestures: “You are welcome in my world.”

Intro to Trauma Competent Care

The Healing Power of Connection Lesson 6 GOAL: To discuss Jesus’s model of grace before truth and the healing power of simple connection/relationships. In children from a healthy and safe environment, when a need is expressed (baby cries) the caregiver responds to the need and satisfies the need (mom comes running and changes a diaper).

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The more we are connected emotionally to a child, the more tolerance and even some level of compassion we have for him and how he expresses his needs.

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However, the expression of need in children from a CUTS environment may look like “BAD Behavior.” Instead of responding to the need, we react to the behavior. And then we get caught in a cycle of only responding to behavior.

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The less we are connected, the less tolerant we become, and even small things frustrate us more.

WE MUST CONNECT BEFORE WE CORRECT When a child expresses their needs through bad behavior, we must bridge over the behavior and connect with the child in relationship before any conversation about behavior takes place.

Intro to Trauma Competent Care

Connection Strategies Lesson 7

GOAL: To discuss specific connection strategies (connecting not disconnecting) and principles. There is a correlation between our emotional connection to a child and our tolerance of their behavior. Our connection to a child helps her get back the ability to use her voice to communicate, instead of disruptive behavior.

• Play is a child’s language. • Play is a powerful way to build connection. • Play is the way in which children form loving, trusting relationships.

2. YES!

When children are engaged in transformative play, they build healing relationships with the key people in their lives. This type of play enables children to build resilience, the ability to recover from challenge, in the midst of difficult life situations. Children from CUTS have experienced a lifetime of “No.” Find as many opportunities as you can throughout the day to say “Yes!” to your children. • Offering a Child Choices “ Would you prefer an apple or a banana?” “Yes, you may have that!” “ Would you like to wear the green shirt or the blue shirt today?” “Yes, you may wear that one - I love that color on you!” •“Yes… but” rather than “No” “May I have a cookie?” “I love cookies too, that sounds good! It’s important we eat our dinner first but then we can have a cookie afterward.”

3. SAMENESS

1. PLAY

Intentional Strategies to Build Connection:

No matter how small it seems, when we share something in common with another person, it creates instant connection! • Are you and a child named the same name? • Do you like the same food? • Do you watch the same sports?

When we feel connected with someone a whole new world of communication can open and children can begin to use their voices with the safe adults in their world!

Intro to Trauma Competent Care

Presence of a Safe Adult Lesson 8

GOAL: What the presence of a safe adult will do in the life of a child. We have discussed and visualized the impact of trauma on the body, brain, belief system, biology and behavior and how to help a person who has come from a trauma background. Unless we understand the impact of trauma, we cannot fully understand how to meet their needs and help them move toward healing.

Success Brain Relaxes, Heart Softens

Felt Safety

Healthy, Safe Adult Relationship

Journey Toward Success 1. Begin with a Healthy, Safe Adult Relationship Much research has shown that the most critical part of a child’s developmental trajectory is the presence of at least one safe adult. The presence of a safe adult that will keep them from further harm and help them orient is essential to their healing and development. 2. Create an Environment of Felt Safety Even though we may know the child is safe, unless they feel safe, their alarm systems are on. Many of our children come from such a place—they never feel safe—their brains and nervous systems are stuck in fear. 3. Allow the Brain to Relax and the Heart to Soften The brain cannot protect us and help us develop at the same time. When the brain relaxes and the heart softens, the following begin to develop: • Executive functioning • Creativity • Relational and people skills • Self-regulation and a host of other functions • Success is within reach!

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ÂŠ 2019 Christian Alliance for Orphans & Back2Back Ministries. cafo.org/global