Welcome to the January 2026 Childhood Trauma Newsletter
I’ve had a slow start to 2026, and I took some time to nurture myself before the spring gets busy, which is why I’m late posting this edition of the newsletter. As we move through the end of this month, I want to pause and acknowledge the weight many of us have been carrying these past couple of weeks (and years). The collective trauma unfolding across the country through violence, loss, division, and uncertainty is nauseating. Something is deeply broken in this country and has been for a long time.
For those of us who care deeply about children and families, or have experienced our own trauma, this kind of moment can feel especially heavy. If you’re feeling tired, irritable, or shut down, you’re not alone, and nothing is “wrong” with you. I’ve also been coping with sleepless nights, heightened anxiety, and grief.
My Go-To Coping Skill (Lately)
Not to rush in with a solution, but something that has been helping me through this month is a weekly art practice. I’m spending extra time out in nature with my camera and in my basement creating cyanotypes for friends and family.
This form of self-expression is a privilege, and I’m aware of that. Not everyone has access to these tools, or even the mental capacity to participate in these activities right now, because of nervous system overwhelm.
However, if you have the capacity and a calling toward art or creation, this is your sign to follow it. It doesn’t have to be good or pretty. Just experiment with any process that allows you to express yourself.
Important Update
If you attended my free webinar at the end of last year about the FIRST YEARS Framework™ (FYF) and were looking forward to attending the 3-part course this winter, I have some disappointing news. I had to scale back this offering due to in-person speaking opportunities that evolved in December and are scheduled for this spring. Thankfully, this is a happy reason to postpone the FYF course, but it was still a very tough decision for me to make because I never want to lose your trust. Read the full update further down in this newsletter for more information.
My hope is that you can offer yourself the same compassion and pacing you so readily extend to others, and remember that even in painful times, your voice and advocacy matter, regardless of what other people say.
Guidance of the Month: How to Talk to Children About Hard Things in Foster and Kinship Care
I often meet foster and kinship caregivers who lean forward and say, almost apologetically,
“I know I should probably explain what’s going on with their parents… I just don’t want to make it worse.”
The adult worries I commonly hear are:
“What if I scare the child?”
“What if she thinks this will happen to her too?”
“Aren’t they too young to understand any of this?”
These fears are deeply human. As a parent, I feel this too. The last thing I want to do is add pain to my child’s life or unintentionally harm her.
Protecting children from emotional pain is one of the strongest caregiving instincts we have. If you’ve been afraid to talk about the truth with your kids, you’re not alone.
In my experience, many adults avoid complex conversations not because they don’t care, but because they fear causing more harm to a child who is already traumatized.
The good news is that decades of child development and mental health research give us clear guidance that can calm these fears and give us the courage to engage in honest conversations with children in age-appropriate terms.
Choosing Your Words: A Research-Aligned Guide
Helpful language tends to:
• Be simple and concrete
• Differentiate adult illness from childhood experiences
• Reassure children about safety and love
Example #1:
The Big Waves Metaphor (Great for kids who like water, swimming, or the beach)
- “Feelings can be like waves at the beach.”
- “Most waves are small and easy to handle. But sometimes a grown-up has very big waves.”
- “When the waves get too big, it can be hard to stay calm and safe.”
Reassurance:
“Your mom/dad loves you, but they need some time to learn how to surf the waves.”
“The waves are not your fault. They were never your fault. Children are not responsible for adult feelings or behavior.”
Helpers:
“When waves are too big, lifeguards help. Other grown-ups and helpers are helping your mommy/daddy handle the waves.”
Differentiate the child from their parent
“Kids have waves too, but not as big as mom/dad. Kids also have lots of helpers to keep them safe. So do you. Who helps to keep you safe?”
What Doesn’t Help:
• Vague explanations (“He’s not well”)
• Moral judgments (“She makes bad choices”)
• Overly detailed adult information that they don’t need
Example #2:
The Tangled Yarn Metaphor (Great for preschoolers; emphasizes overwhelm and help)
Tools: Two balls of yarn, one that is tangled and one that is not
Show the child a ball of yarn that is tangled and a ball that is not.
“Sometimes people’s feelings get tangled, like yarn.”
“Most days, feelings are like yarn that’s easy to use (show them the untangled ball of yarn). But sometimes a grown-up’s feelings get very tangled up like this other ball of yarn.” (Show them the tangled yarn.
“When feelings are tangled like this, it can be really hard to think clearly or make safe choices.”
“That’s what’s happening for your mommy/daddy right now.”
Reassurance
“Your mommy loves you very much.”
“You didn’t tangle the yarn.”
“You are safe.”
Helpers
“When yarn gets tangled, helpers gently work to untangle it. Grown-ups and helpers are helping your mommy/daddy.”
Differentiate the Child from the Parent
“Kids’ feelings can get tangled too, but kids have lots of helpers. Your feelings don’t make you unsafe.”
Common Fears That Maintain Silence in Adults
Example #1:
“Talking about mental health will scare the child or make things worse.”
What the research says:
Studies of children living with parental mental illness consistently show that silence increases anxiety, not safety. Young children are highly sensitive to changes in routines, emotional tone, and adult stress. When adults avoid explanations, children often fill in the gaps with self-blame or catastrophic thinking.
Research by Beardslee and others on family communication has found that children cope better when they receive honest, age-appropriate explanations paired with reassurance, rather than no explanation at all. National guidance from SAMHSA and the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry echoes this: children benefit from calm, simple conversations that help them understand what they are already sensing.
What helps children:
• Brief explanations
• Reassurance about safety “It’s my job to keep you safe.”
• Letting children know adults are handling the problem
Example #2:
“The child will think this will happen to them too.”
What the research says:
This concern is well-founded. Developmental research shows that young children think concretely and tend to generalize. That’s why experts emphasize differentiation, not avoidance.
Child psychiatry guidance supports truth-telling when it’s clearly explained. The research does not suggest avoiding the topic, it suggests clarifying it.
Example #3:
“My child is too young to understand mental health.”
What the research says:
Young children do not need to understand diagnoses, trauma histories, or substance use. But research is very clear that they do need help understanding changes in their world.
Developmental psychology tells us that children under 8 understand:
• Cause and effect
• Safety vs. danger
• Who is taking care of them
Mental health organizations consistently recommend developmentally appropriate explanations, not adult-level explanations or silence. Research shows children benefit from many small conversations that grow as they do.
What helps children:
• Simple, concrete language
• Short explanations
• Ongoing conversations rather than “one big talk.”
Example #4:
“Talking about this will make my child think badly of their parent.”
What the research says:
Research on identity formation and attachment shows that children do best when adults separate the parent from the problem. Avoiding the topic can unintentionally send the message that the parent is unsafe to talk about.
Studies in adoption, foster care, and parental mental illness consistently show that children are more emotionally secure when caregivers:
• Speak respectfully about the parent
• Acknowledge love and connection
• Explain that the problem is an illness, not a character flaw
What helps children:
Language that holds complex“Your mom loves you very much, but the big waves/ tangled yarn make caring for you hard for her right now.” For now, I will keep you safe. If your mom feels better, you will see her again.
Example #5:
“I’ll say the wrong thing and won’t be able to fix it.”
What the research says:
There is no evidence that a gentle, honest, age-appropriate explanation harms children. There is evidence that children benefit from caregivers who are open, responsive, and willing to revisit conversations.
Research emphasizes that communication is a process, not a performance. Children don’t need perfect words. They need emotionally available adults who will answer questions as they arise.
For Your Peace of Mind
There is strong evidence that:
• Silence increases confusion and self-blame
• Honest, gentle explanations support emotional safety
• Reassurance and repetition help children feel secure
Children benefit when we rebuild the trust they’ve lost in the world and people around them with honesty, vulnerability, and connection.
Selected research and professional guidance informing this article:
- American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. (2019). Talking to kids about mental illness. https://www.aacap.org/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Talking-To-Kids-About-Mental-Illnesses-084.aspx
- Beardslee, W. R., Gladstone, T. R. G., Wright, E. J., & Cooper, A. B. (2003). A family-based approach to the prevention of depressive symptoms in children at risk: Evidence of parental and child change. Pediatrics, 112(2), e119–e131. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.112.2.e119
- Fahlberg, V. I. (2012). A child’s journey through placement (2nd ed.). Perspectives Press.
What’s Going On at Beth Tyson Trauma Consulting? 
IMPORTANT: The First Years Framework™ 3-part training is ON HOLD until further notice.
At the end of 2025, I announced a new 3-part online course called the First Years Framework. I was planning to launch it in January and February, but due to several public speaking opportunities that came together in December, I no longer have the capacity to thoughtfully host the 3-part course I had planned.
This was a difficult decision, because I don’t want to break your trust, but ultimately, to show up fully and responsibly in my work, I need to practice what I teach about capacity and self-care. I hope you can forgive me.
I appreciate your understanding and support, and I look forward to offering this training when the timing allows for the quality and presence it deserves. I’m hopeful this summer may be a time when I can provide the First Years Framework training.
Upcoming Speaking Events
TEXAS
- I’ll be speaking in Austin, TX, for the first time at the Cultivating Connections Omni Family Summit. Registration is open!
I’ll be hosting two workshops that day. The morning session will be on trauma-informed supervised visitation and I’ll be reading an excerpt from my children’s book “Sullivan Goes to See Mama: A Story to Help Children Navigate Supervised Family Time.” The book is a resource for social workers, counselors, and others who are helping children through the stress of supervised family time. You can purchase copies HERE.
The afternoon session will also be a real treat! I will be co-hosting with community trauma expert and dear friend, Becky Haas! If you don’t know about Becky’s work, I highly recommend you check her out. She’s a major force in the fight to create trauma-informed communities from the ground up.
NORTH DAKOTA
- I’ll be the keynote speaker for the North Dakota Family-Based Services Conference.
During my workshops, I’ll be discussing trauma-informed approaches to preserving family and kin connections for children in foster and kinship care. This is area of work deeply important to me, as the research is clear that keeping children connected leads to positive mental health outcomes over the long term. I’m grateful for the opportunity and looking forward to connecting with attendees!
PENNSYLVANIA
- I’ll host two workshops at the annual Pennsylvania CASA Conference. My workshops are focused on vicarious trauma in social work and advocacy roles, with particular attention to the emotional demands faced by CASA volunteers and child advocates.
Drawing on my long-standing relationship with CASA as both a volunteer and a consultant supporting curriculum development, these sessions will explore how repeated exposure to children’s stories of loss, neglect, and uncertainty can impact our worldviews and capacity for sustained advocacy.
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of vicarious trauma, along with practical, trauma-informed strategies to support resilience, ethical care, and long-term sustainability in this essential work.
To learn more about vicarious trauma, revisit my blog on this topic.
News from the Field: What I’m Paying Attention To
SEEN: The Healing Journey Behind Parenthood
Watch the trailer HERE.
Seen is a groundbreaking feature-length documentary that not only explores the transformative power of personal healing for parents but also delves into the scientifically supported effects of such healing on parenting and its impact on child brain development.
My colleague, friend, and subscriber to this newsletter, neuroscientist Dr. Selena Bartlett, is one of the subject matter experts who contributed to this project, and she did a phenomenal job. Congratulations, Dr. Bartlett!
This documentary is especially relevant to me as I focus on writing my book for clinicians and caregivers called Trigger-Free Parenting, which will be an educational guide for healing ourselves emotionally while parenting/caregiving (more to come on this in a future newsletter).
Childhood Trauma & Adolescent Substance Use: An Integrative Perspective
A recent integrative review published late 2025 examines how early childhood trauma shapes pathways to adolescent substance use by affecting emotional regulation, stress-response systems, and coping patterns. Rather than simply outlining risk, the authors highlight protective factors — including effortful control, supportive relationships, and developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed interventions — that can attenuate risk and promote resilienceas children grow. This piece provides a multidisciplinary look at how trauma exposure impacts development and offers actionable insights for child welfare professionals and clinicians working to interrupt risk trajectories early.
👉 Read the article: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40932196/
Why Early Relationships Matter for Lifelong Outcomes
A January 12, 2026, piece highlights a 20-year longitudinal study showing that investment in early parent–child relationships and relational supports can cut juvenile crime by up to 50 %and offer significant community-level benefits with strong returns.
👉 Explore the full discussion: https://www.circleofsecurityinternational.com/blogs/cosi-blog/why-investing-in-early-relationships-prevents-crime
Study Links Early Childhood Trauma with School Absenteeism
New research from UCLA Health shows that even one adverse childhood experience (ACE) can nearly double the likelihooda child misses school due to health-related reasons, illuminating how early trauma interferes not just with emotional well-being but with physical health and educational engagement.
👉 Read the study: https://www.uclahealth.org/news/release/just-one-adverse-childhood-event-can-nearly-double-health
CASA of West Texas Celebrated 35 Years of Advocacy in 2025
I also wanted to highlight this story from October about CASA of West Texas celebrating 35 years of advocacy. A beautiful reminder that sustained volunteer engagement moves the needle on children’s lives over time. It’s the kind of long-term impact we all strive for.
👉 Read the story: https://www.mrt.com/news/article/casa-west-texas-35th-anniversary-21104881.php
Share your CASA story: Reply to this newsletter with your experience with CASA. I’d love to feature your insights in a future issue!
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In Closing…
My work in trauma-informed care continually reminds me that this work is slow and asks us to sit with our own discomfort again and again. There are no quick fixes, no matter how much we might wish there were.
Building trust and sustaining meaningful relationships with children takes time, patience, and steadiness, and it is some of the hardest work we will ever do. It is also one of the most important. Please keep going. Even when you don’t get it perfect, the commitment you bring matters deeply, and together, we are helping lay the foundation for the next generation to grow and thrive. Let’s go.
If you found this newsletter helpful, here are some ways you can motivate me to keep writing:
- Share this edition on social media or within your organization
- Follow me on social media (links are at the bottom of this page)
- Forward it to one friend who might find it helpful
Thank you for being a part of my Trauma Champion Community of over 60,000 readers! If you have questions or collaboration ideas, please message me.
With hope and compassion,
Beth
