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Navigating Trauma: Understanding, Coping, and Supporting Others

Explore the signs, symptoms, and impact of trauma on individuals, families, and classrooms. Learn about PTSD, risk factors, protective factors, and effective interventions to support trauma survivors in various settings.

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Navigating Trauma: Understanding, Coping, and Supporting Others

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  1. Surviving Trauma: The Impact on Individuals, Families, and In the Classroom Jessica Duffel, Psy.D. Clinical Psychologist Family Mental Health Program Oklahoma City VA Medical Center

  2. Objectives • Review the signs and symptoms of PTSD • Review of protective and risk factors associated with posttraumatic stress • Describe the impact of posttraumatic stress in the school setting for children and adults

  3. What is Trauma?

  4. Trauma Defined • Exposure to death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence • Direct exposureor witnessing • Indirect exposure • Repeated or extreme indirect exposure to gruesome details of the event(s), usually in the course of professional duties

  5. Examples of Traumatic Stressors • Sexual abuse, physical abuse, domestic violence • Violent crimes • War • Natural or man-made disasters • Community violence • Transportation accidents

  6. Signs and Symptoms: RAIN • Re-experiencing • Avoidance • Increased arousal • Negative thoughts and feelings

  7. Additional Considerations • Symptoms persist for at least one month • Negatively impact important areas of life • There may be delay in appearance of symptoms

  8. Other Possible Effects of Trauma • Fear • Worry • Sadness • Anger • Feeling alone • Low self-esteem • Difficulty trusting • Aggression • Self-harm • Alcohol or drug misuse

  9. Important Points • Not everyone who experiences trauma develops PTSD • Posttraumatic reactions vary by person and age

  10. The Impact of Trauma on Families

  11. Children of Parents with PTSD • May feel that their parent does not care about or love them • May worry their parent cannot take care of them • May worry about their parent’s well-being • May show similar symptoms as parent • May take on the adult role • May not learn how to manage their feelings

  12. Helping Children Who Have a Parent with PTSD • Help children learn what it means for a parent to have PTSD • Share information, but do not overshare the details of the parent’s trauma (depends on age and maturity of child) • Help the child understand it is not his/her fault • Individual therapy for parent and child • Family therapy is a good option • Be aware of possible violence in the home

  13. Risk Factors for Developing PTSD • How severe was the trauma? • How close was the trauma? • Did the trauma involve interpersonal violence? • Were there repeated traumas? For Children: • How did the parents react to the trauma? • Does the child have a preexisting mental health condition? • Are there parental mental health concerns?

  14. Protective Factors • Family and SocialSupport • Distance from the trauma • For children, parents are less upset after trauma

  15. Protective Factors • Family and Social Support • Distance from the trauma • For children, parents less upset after trauma

  16. In the Classroom

  17. The Effects of Trauma In the Classroom • Difficulty paying attention • Impaired processing of information • Learning and memory difficulties • Difficulty with problem-solving, planning, organization • Negative attitudes toward school

  18. Possible Accommodations • Extra time on in-class exams or out-of-class assignments • Additional reminders for due dates • Allow for audio recording of class lessons/lectures • Give seating options • Alternative seating arrangements • Breaks during class

  19. Possible Accommodations • Allow to stand in back of class for brief periods • When possible, use of break out groups • Tutoring • Excused absence procedures for medical and/or mental health appointments • Communicate directly to educators about student being a trauma-survivor (if known) and suggestions for accommodations to help the student succeed

  20. Communication with Trauma Survivors • Speak calmly and gently, yet firm • Respectful language • Even tone of voice, not shouting • Approach from the front • Minimize sudden movements • Avoid touching the individual • Minimize loud, sudden noises • Firmly ask the individual to leave the setting if being disruptive

  21. Resources • OKC VA Med Center Family Mental Health Program: 405-456-5183 405-456-2392 • National Center for PTSD: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/ • National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Psychological First Aid, Appendix E: http://www.nctsn.org/sites/default/files/pfa/english/appendix_e.pdf • Vet Parenting Toolkit http://www.ouhsc.edu/VetParenting • American Psychiatric Association, DSM 5

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