Working With Trauma Exposed Children And Adolescents

Far too often, children and youth experience trauma, from rare events such as mass shootings, terrorism attacks, and school lockdowns, to very common occurrences such as bullying, exposure to drugs and alcohol, or various mental health issues. They can experience these events both directly and indirectly (from surfing the internet, watching television, or through their friends). Our children spend a large portion of their day at school interacting with other students, teachers, and school personnel, where these topics are raised and discussed. This edited volume addresses how our teachers and school personnel can help students deal with these potentially traumatic events to reach the most positive possible outcomes. This collection brings together leading experts, including academics and professionals working in the field, to provide the most current evidence-based practices on how to help students who may have experienced or witnessed trauma. It presents research and advice on how to respond to traumatic events regarding bullying; drugs and alcohol; sexual abuse; mental health; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) safety; stranger danger; childhood disruptive behaviors; school shootings and lockdowns; and terrorism. It also includes a chapter focused on how to implement a school safety program. Schools cannot deal with these issues alone; effective strategies must engage family members and the broader community. Hence, the collection includes a chapter on how schools can partner with families and the communities they reside in to bring about positive change. All this work pays close attention to cultural and religious sensitivity, socio-economic variabilities, diversity issues, and developmental stages.

A cogent, caring, and comprehensive response to the reality that many children live lives of constant threat, fear, and confusion while lacking opportunities for positive social interactions, stimulation, and empowerment.

Originally published in 2005, the Child Trauma Handbook is a user-friendly manual that teaches a comprehensive, research-based, phase-model approach to trauma-informed treatment for children and adolescents. Both new and experienced clinicians will find clear explanations and tips for making the connection between child/adolescent behaviors and traumatic histories; they’ll also learn practical skills for successful interventions. Each chapter and skillset is theory based and includes transcripts, case studies, exercises, and specific strategies for addressing problems.

Tens of thousands of clinicians have used this book--now revised and expanded with 50% new material--to plan and organize effective interventions for children and adolescents who have experienced complex trauma. The Attachment, Regulation, and Competency (ARC) framework can be used with children, parents, and other caregivers in a wide range of settings. The volume guides the clinician to identify key treatment goals and intervene flexibly to strengthen child-caregiver relationships and support healthy development and positive functioning. In a large-size format with lay-flat binding for easy photocopying, it is packed with case vignettes and clinical tools, including 79 reproducible handouts and forms. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible materials.

This book serves as a practical guide for clinicians and other professionals working with children and adolescents exposed to trauma, offering an overview and rationale for a comprehensive approach to trauma-informed assessment, including key domains and techniques. Building on more than 2 decades of work in collaboration with the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), the book provides strategies for conducting an effective trauma-informed assessment that can be used in practice to support the treatment planning and intervention process, family engagement and education, and collaboration and advocacy with other providers. As part of APA's Division 56 series, Concise Guides on Trauma Care, the book surveys a range of recommended tools and considerations for selecting and implementing those tools across stages of development and in relation to a child's sociocultural context. The authors also examine challenges that may arise in the context of trauma-informed assessment and suggest approaches to overcome those barriers.

Impulsivity, poor judgment, moodiness, risky behavior. "You don't understand." "I don't care." "Whatever, bro." Engaging and working with teenagers is tough. Typically, we attribute this to the storms of adolescence. But what if some of the particularly problematic behaviors we see in teens - self-destructive behaviors, academic issues, substance abuse, reluctance to engage in therapy or treatment - point to unspoken trauma? Teens nationwide struggle with traumatic stress related to poverty, abuse, neglect, bullying, traumatic loss, and interpersonal or community violence. But youth are also generally reluctant to disclose or discuss experiences of traumatic stress, and adults working with these youth may not immediately perceive the connection between prior trauma and the teen's current risky or concerning behavior. Beyond PTSD: Helping and Healing Teens Exposed to Trauma helps adults recognize and understand traumatized youth, and provides concrete strategies for talking to and engaging the teen, overcoming resistance, and finding the most appropriate evidence-based treatment approach for them. Nearly twenty contributors pull from their extensive and varied experience working in schools and hospitals to child welfare programs, juvenile justice facilities, pediatric offices, and with families to provide concrete tips to manage the challenges and opportunities of working with trauma-exposed adolescents. Chapters present trauma-informed approaches to youth with aggression, suicide and self-injury, psychosis, and school refusal; youth with physical or developmental disabilities or medical comorbidities, those in juvenile justice or child welfare; teen parents; and LGBTQ youth, among others. Throughout the text, tables compare different types of trauma therapies and provide information about how treatments might be adapted to fit a specific teen or setting. Readers will also find "real life" case vignettes and concrete, specific clinical pearls--even examples of language to use--to demonstrate how to work effectively with difficult-to-engage teens with complex symptoms and behaviors. Written to be practical and accessible for clinicians, social workers, pediatricians, school counselors, and even parents, with the information, context, and strategies they need to help the teen in front of them.

How do I implement effective strategies for treating traumatic stress in this particular child or adolescent? Clinical Exercises for Treating Traumatic Stress in Children and Adolescents combines guidance for personalizing and implementing effective treatment approaches with practical materials to use in session. It describes the potential impact of trauma on children and adolescents, outlines core principles of effective treatment models, and provides practical guidance for tailoring treatment strategies to the specific needs of the individual. The featured worksheets and practical resources are designed to be compatible with evidence-based treatment models including Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), Prolonged Exposure, Attachment, Self-Regulation and Competence (ARC), and Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP). Replete with adaptable, ready-made materials, this convenient resource will help any clinician working with trauma exposed 8-18-year-olds to implement effective treatment strategies in practice, as well as to take a tailored approach that engages them with creative, therapeutic activities.

Trauma-Informed Practices With Children and Adolescents is a sourcebook of practical approaches to working with children and adolescents that synthesizes research from leading trauma specialists and translates it into easy-to-implement techniques. The approaches laid out address the sensory and somatic experiences of trauma within structured formats that meet the "best practices" criteria for trauma-informed care: safety, self-regulation, trauma integration, healthy relationships, and healthy environments. Each chapter contains short excerpts, case examples, and commentary relevant to the chapter topic from recognized leaders in the field of trauma intervention with children and adolescents. In addition to this, readers will find chapters filled with easily applied activities, methods, and approaches to assessment, self-regulation, trauma integration, and resilience-building. The book's structured yet comprehensive approach provides professionals with the resources they need to help trauma victims not just survive but thrive and move from victim thinking to survivor thinking using the current best practices in the field.