Welcome to the November 2024 Childhood Trauma Newsletter. This month, we have over 400 new subscribers, and I’m so honored you’re here! Trauma-Informed Guidance for a Peaceful Thanksgiving Holiday Children impacted by any kind of family separation, whether it be foster care, adoption, or divorce, don’t have to feel thankful
Parenting Under Pressure The other night, I yelled at my kid. It was definitely a moment when my emotions got the best of me. I’m not proud of it. I sometimes find myself in a strange role. I’m supposed to be an “expert” in trauma-informed parenting, and yet I
School should be a safe haven where children learn, grow, and develop healthy relationships. However, for children who have experienced trauma, certain aspects of the school environment can accidentally trigger feelings of fear, anxiety, or helplessness. These “hidden triggers” often go unnoticed by well-meaning educators and peers, unintentionally retraumatizing the very
This week, July 15-21, 2024, is Birth Trauma Awareness Week in some parts of the world. I can’t find any information about whether the United States is participating, but I’m not surprised. The U.S. remains a consistent outlier in maternal care compared to other developed nations. Despite being one of
The latest research highlights a profound truth: childhood trauma rewires the neural pathways in young brains. Early life adversities—such as neglect, abuse, and divorce—ignite a storm in the brain and body, leading to cognitive impairment, avoidance, emotional instability, and hypervigilance. These traumatic experiences teach the brain to prioritize protection over connection,
This week, I was quoted in an article on Parents.com about 20 coping strategies for children experiencing stress and anxiety. With over 74 million viewers on their website, this was a huge accomplishment for me! I’m so grateful Parents highlighted my suggestions so we could reach more families with trauma-informed
(A note on my word choice: I am using the word “first” next to “mother” to pay respect to the relationship between a birth mother and child if the child is now being raised by someone else.) Mother’s Day is almost here, and boy, does it crush the souls of
This article is a call to action for employers. It’s clear the children’s mental health crisis is impacting the bottom line of corporate America. It’s estimated that workplace stress is costing U.S. employers 200 billion every year in healthcare costs alone. It’s time we provide more support to working parents
The April 2024 Childhood Trauma Newsletter Last month, Elon Musk endorsed “Bad Therapy,” a new book written by a reporter that places blame on mental health therapists and trauma-informed care as the cause of the children’s mental health crisis. The book proposes that children’s mental health professionals are taking advantage
The February 2024 Childhood Trauma Newsletter As many of us in child psychology have known for decades, attachment to safe and loving caregivers in babyhood and childhood is paramount for long-term emotional and physical well-being. However, as awareness of secure attachment grows in the general population, more and more of
