When we think about trauma so many of us are likely to dismiss it from being something that either ourselves or our children are going through. We haven’t been to war, survived a terrorist attack or faced a life changing illness – that’s what causes trauma isn’t it?
While these are indeed traumatic events, it’s important to recognise that trauma can also stem from less obvious experiences, especially for neurodivergent children.
We have a webinar coming up on Thursday 5 December which will provide such an insight into trauma as a whole – what it is, what it looks like and what we can do to support people going through it. It’s one of our premium webinars with world-renowned trauma therapist Dr Janina Fisher PhD leading us through so please do book on to learn more: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/841368554997
What does trauma look like?
If we struggle to understand the types of situations which might lead someone to having trauma then it can be really difficult to understand how the signs that something is wrong points towards a trauma response.
The outward signs that someone might be going through trauma can look like this:
Is it trauma?
Trauma is the emotional response to a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. Unlike stress, which is a short-term reaction, trauma can lead to long-term challenges, including heightened anxiety, difficulty regulating emotions and an avoidance of certain triggers.
For neurodivergent children, we can find that trauma can stem from just some of the following:
- Sensory Overwhelm – constant exposure to environments which don’t meet a child’s sensory needs.
- Social Rejection – Being misunderstood or excluded by peers can have a deep impact upon a child’s self esteem as can bullying and teasing.
- Punishments – If a punishment doesn’t make sense to a neurodivergent child it can feel deeply affecting. Things such as time out, yelling or even withholding games consoles can have a much deeper impact than we realise.
Don’t forget as well the trauma that many parents face in seeking to meet their neurodivergent childs needs. Seeing our children struggling and not being able to help them, in fighting for their needs which aren’t being met and in dealing with challenging situations which go far beyond the realms of ‘normal’ parenting can all cause trauma.
Why does identifying trauma matter?
If you don’t know what it is then you can’t successfully address it. If you feel that your child or yourself are suffering with trauma it’s really important to acknowledge it.
Understanding and validating your child’s feelings is the first step in helping them process trauma. Avoid dismissing their experiences, even if the cause doesn’t seem significant from an adult perspective. Professional support, such as trauma-informed therapy, can also be invaluable in helping children process their emotions safely.
For much more understanding on this important topic, then please do join us for our trauma webinar on Thursday 5 December: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/841368554997
