There are plenty of staggering statistics out there that tell the story about how childhood trauma affects the onset of suicidal ideation in adolescence and adulthood. Depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and isolation can all accompany the signs of PTSD....

Recovering from “Bad Touches” For years the terms “bad touches” and “good touches” have been used to educate children about how to be aware and avoid a perpetrator of abuse. Yet, what happens after a “bad touch” occurs and the child is left trying to determine if...

There is a lot of information out there about the health issues caused by too much stress. Trauma is about the worst kind of stress anyone can endure. Although there are not any specific numbers out there reporting which illnesses and the probability of trauma...

Spirituality can be a huge factor in the forming of resilience in healing from childhood trauma. Yet, it can also be a hinderance, especially if the trauma is a form of spiritual abuse. As I look at my own life, finding love, healing, and redemption from my trauma,...

With the coming of the new year comes resolutions, goals, and self-promises. But it is truly realistic to try and set unattainable goals coming away from a stressful time like Christmas and New Years? Many of us with PTSD are often asked, “What are your goals for...

If you are like me, the day after Christmas is one of recovery and hopefully rest. For children and adults with a background of trauma, Christmas day can be one of sensory overload. Going to at least one long Christmas party can be so overstimulating that...

We have all heard the phrase, “Everything in moderation.” How can we apply such a phrase to the holidays? First of all, if you are a survivor of trauma and struggle with addiction, this time of year may be particularly difficult for you, especially if you have not...

Last week I spoke about the ups and downs of the holidays. Today I would like to touch on the subject of joy. Many believe that happiness and joy are the same thing, yet they actually are quite different.  Happiness is more of a temporary feeling based on your...

Getting through the holidays can be extremely difficult for a person with PTSD, even a child who is in recovery. Christmas is traditionally a happy time for children, but for a traumatized child it can be stressful.  Why? During the holidays we are expected to...

There is great value in mentorship for at risk children. My husband is involved in a program started by a church where he goes into a school once a week and mentors a young boy. Not only does this help the child, but it also brings joy and satisfaction to my...

So far, we have discussed some of the benefits of routine coping techniques such as a sleep schedule, exercise routine, and eating. But today we will take a look at the benefits of following a routine everyday for the sake of stability and sanity. Establishing a...

There is a lot of information out there about dissociation. However, there is not a lot regarding dissociation in children. The psychological definition of dissociation is the disconnection and lack of continuity between thoughts, memories, surroundings, actions,...

In past blogs I have written a lot about coping strategies such as exercise, music, or journaling. But today I am going to offer suggestions to parents or caregivers on how best to help their children who are recovering from past trauma or abuse. Today there is so...

As my previous blog I wrote talked about rejection, this is expanding a bit on that, particularly when it comes to the subject of boundaries. Because of past rejection, most people feel guilty, ashamed, afraid, or anxious after setting a boundaries. I think the...

Rejection is probably the most difficult process a child or even an adult survivor of trauma must heal from. I call rejection a process because it is more than just one feeling, it is a number of feelings such as shame, sadness, grief, and not being accepted. Once...

There are many issues and even illnesses that can occur as a result if trauma. The one I wish to address today is mental illness. It may not surprise you that depression and anxiety can result from a child being traumatized, but even schizophrenia and bipolar...

There has been a lot of talk about bullying in the past few years since “cyber-bullying” has been termed and is now added as a form of bullying. In reality, traditional bullying is still much more prevalent than its cyber counterpart. Globally, at least one third...

We all know that sleep is essential to staying healthy. Yet for a child who has been traumatized, especially one whose trauma occurred at night, sleep can be seriously affected. Not only can the child have a difficult time getting to sleep and staying asleep, but...

What are you grateful for? You do not have to be a spiritual person to express gratitude. Children are taught from toddlerhood to say “Thank you” when something is given to them, whether that be a material possession or even a kind word. But what does a traumatized...

I grew up in an environment that looked down upon asking for help. Having been threatened by my perpetrators if I spoke up, and growing up in a conservative religious community that frowned upon talking about one’s personal struggles or issues, I did not learn that...

It is a known fact that trauma can cause eating disorders. Serious eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia often develop during the teenage years, and are two of the most complex and difficult mental health conditions to both treat and recover from. But what...

While we all must agree there is nothing humorous about trauma and abuse, laughter can however, serve as a very healing and helpful “medicine” to treat them. When we laugh, we release endorphins, our body’s own natural pain killers. Our stress and anxiety...

This piece is about acceptance. It involves the challenge and goal of a trauma survivor to learn to accept themself. Even a child who has been traumatized must work through all of the negative words, deeds, and actions that were done to them. Denial is an extremely...

I have never been very musically talented. I never learned to play an instrument, although I could play “Mary had a little lamb” on my grandmother’s piano. Growing up I always wanted to learn how to play the guitar, but that never happened. But music has still...

When we think of the trigger of a weapon, we see that it is the part of the weapon that causes it to make the sound of an explosion, do harm to someone, and remind us to take cover because our safety may be in jeopardy.  With trauma, a trigger has a very...

Fear is a learned response. A few years ago, I adopted a dog. When I introduced her to my friend’s four children, the only one who did not hesitate or show any fear was her ten month old daughter. It is not that the other three kids had been traumatized by a dog,...

There once lived a little girl named Rose. When she was five years old, she was removed from her home for severe neglect and possible emotional abuse. Little Rose did not have much going for her. She struggled with trust issues, lacked confidence, and did not carry...

Grounding has become a great exercise for traumatized children to stay in the present or “come to” if they are struggling to stay engaged because of memories or flashbacks. It involves using the five senses: sight, touch, hearing, smell, and taste. Not every sense...

I must admit something. I have been trying to write this blog piece for almost a week, but it is very difficult for me. Experts say that emotional or verbal abuse is the most difficult type of trauma to heal from. While physical bruises, scars, and pain can fade...

The first word that comes to mind when I hear the word boundaries is “no.” This is one of the very first words a toddler says when they start to speak. It is also one of the very first words a child hears when they start to develop any type of independence. ...

We all know the importance of exercise on our health. Visit any doctor, and they will stress being active each day, either by exercising alone or participating in team sports. These activities also apply to children, especially traumatized children. Having grown up...

Although I much prefer writing about positive coping skills and beneficial ways to treat childhood trauma, sometimes we must face the brutal facts about issues like domestic violence. Children who grow up in domestic violence are more likely to commit suicide,...

I know that I talk often about resilience, a child’s ability to deal with difficult situations. But there are so many ways that teach a child resilience that seem simple, yet make a huge difference in the road to healing from trauma. One of the most beneficial, yet...

Pets are beneficial to any child, especially to a traumatized one. The love of an animal is unconditional, the most positive and healing love one can experience. The wonderful benefits of having a pet are nearly endless, a few being: increased emotional stability,...

Reading is one of the best ways that children can cope with trauma and grow as individuals. There are so many benefits to reading including, increased social and cognitive development, generally improved well-being, increased creativity, better sleep, and my...

Every type of trauma has shame at its core. In this piece, I will specifically address emotional shame and its consequences. Imagine being a child who is an extremely gifted artist. At school, you are given endless praise by your friends and teachers for the...

Although research shows that a highly sensitive child has no greater risk for trauma than a child who is not, these children are at greater risk for developing PTSD. A highly sensitive child, for example, who experiences verbal abuse, may internalize what is said,...

In utero trauma was never talked about years ago. But studies have shown that what happens to a child in the womb affects their life after they are born. A child who has experienced an uneventful time in their mother’s womb has fewer difficulties as one whose...

Ask any child trauma therapist today about how they go about helping traumatized kids, and they will tell you about the importance of play therapy. As I wrote in a former piece, children are extremely resilient, and they are much better than adults at using coping...

Grooming is a term used in recent years to describe the actions of a perpetrator before, during, and after the sexual abuse of a child. The child forms an emotional bond with this person, and this makes it extremely difficult at times for the abuse to be discovered...

Finally, Some Help As I mentioned in a former blog post, I am a survivor of many types of trauma. The most difficult trauma that I have endured and have had to find healing from is the sexual abuse. For me, this started at a very young age, and although I displayed...

Children are often labeled as very resilient, able to withstand or recover quickly from adversity. Another word for resilience is toughness. I recall having a “tough” reputation on the bus when I was in elementary school. In fifth grade, one of the boys told...

 Statistics are always staggering. It seems oftentimes that they are used to shock people, get their attention, and cause change. This is a good thing. One in four children experiences some form of trauma in childhood. Of this, 18% experience physical abuse....

One of the most positive things a child can experience is words of encouragement and affirmation. Yet, one of the most damaging is emotionalabuse. The most common form of emotional abuse is verbal abuse. Kids believe what others tell them, especially persons in...

Domestic Violence has risen significantly since the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Thousands of children either have or continue to witness violence in their homes that they have never seen before. In many cases, they may not be the intended “victim,” but they...

Welcome to my blog. Over the next few months or even longer, we will explore the topic of Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD) or more specifically, the effects of trauma on children. Much of my writings can apply to anyone, not just children, but children do respond a bit...

One of the most difficult things I have ever had to do in my adult life is report someone who looked up to me to Child Protective Services for neglect. These children were suffering both physically and emotionally, and I was told by a professional that if I didn’t...