The word trauma is a big word. Trauma is any life event that may be violent, cause a sense of danger or fear and poses a threat to a person’s life; even witnessing such an event can instill these emotions. Almost any experience can be traumatic, especially to a child. How as parents do you support your children? Here are common suggestions of how to support your child if they’ve experienced trauma:
- Understanding what trauma is and could be
- Knowing your children well enough to recognize when changes occur in their moods, behaviors and overall interactions with you after a traumatic event
- Modeling healthy ways to cope with difficulties
- Talking about things openly and at your child’s pace and developmental level
- Being present for them
- Ask them what would make them feel safe (they have great ideas!)
- Continue with ‘normal’ life activities
- Provide daily structure
If you find your child is needing more support than these suggestions reach out to us for help. FamilyMeans provides Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TFCBT) for children, teens and their parents to help process through traumatic experiences and build resiliency. TFCBT is widely researched and found to be the number one treatment for children and teens who have been through a traumatic event. Let us help you and your family on the path to healing!