Source: CDC
All children may experience very stressful events that affect how they think and feel. Most of the time, children recover quickly and well. However, sometimes children who experience severe stress—such as from an injury, the death or threatened death of a close family member or friend, or violence—will be affected […]
Written by: Shawn Alex Nemeth
In 2009, Shawn Alex Nemeth was hospitalized and diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It was the culmination of a lifetime of trauma, encoded into his brain and body during a childhood defined by abuse and neglect. Yet, through professional treatment and a profound commitment to self-compassion, […]
Source: ScienceDirect
Childhood abuse has been increasingly recognized as a risk factor for eating disorder symptoms. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that childhood abuse may lead to identification with the aggressor, an automatic defensive process, to survive the abuse. Although it has been clinically implied, the role of identification with the aggressor as a […]
Source: The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) Children whose families and homes do not provide consistent safety, comfort, and protection may develop ways of coping that allow them to survive and function day to day. For instance, they may be overly sensitive to the moods of others, always watching to figure […]
Source: National Library of Medicine
Childhood trauma has profound, long-term effects on cognitive and emotional development. This systematic review and meta-analysis sought to synthesis the evidence around the long-term impact of human childhood trauma on domains of cognition and emotion in order to inform interventions and public health strategies. Read Article […]
For many, the holiday season is a joyful one – the popular song “Have a Holly, Jolly Christmas” comes to mind – but for children who have or are experiencing trauma, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, New Year’s Eve, and other celebrations represent a season of emotional pain. The barrage of festive sights, sounds, and […]
The National Indian Health Board (NIHB) is committed to advocating for the health and well-being of Indigenous communities. One of our key initiatives focuses on addressing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), which are traumatic events occurring during childhood. Research indicates that Indigenous children experience higher ACEs and collective trauma, which needs to be addressed […]
By Beth Tyson
Children impacted by any kind of family separation, whether it be foster care, adoption, or divorce, don’t have to feel thankful during Thanksgiving or any other holiday. There, I said it!
Sure, for most people, Thanksgiving is a joyful time of year filled with family gatherings, shared […]
By Lawrence Robinson, Melinda Smith, M.A. and Jeanne Segal, Ph.D.
What is emotional and psychological trauma? Emotional and psychological trauma occurs when extraordinarily stressful events shatter your sense of security. Psychological trauma can leave you struggling with upsetting […]
By Boys & Girls Clubs of America
For generations, tough childhood experiences have been swept under the rug by phrases like these. Oftentimes, the reason why is simple: many families simply did not know how to talk about their kid’s negative life experiences. Families may assume (or hope) the bad experience wasn’t a big […]
