Blog Post 1: Trauma Informed Training

I found that this training provided a lot of insight for me regarding how ACEs, toxic stress, and PTSD affect children, and more over, how I can identify and assist with these situations. The elements I found most useful was the information about identifying trauma responses, and the guidelines for approaching tantrums. I appreciated that the training provided concrete examples of trauma responses. As someone who has worked with children in preschools and nurseries, I am a mandated reporter and have been trained on warning signs, however, I have never felt like my past training has given me information that can be put into practice. For this reason I appreciated the specific examples of symptoms and behaviors, as well as advice on how to approach children showing these signs. However, I still believe that identifying trauma responses is hard to put into practice as it is often not clear what actually constitutes abnormal behavior, as all children behave differently. Through my experience working with toddlers, I have seen how their big emotions, combined with developing self efficacy, can lead to frustrating situations for both child and caregiver. I appreciated how this training explained that a child’s behavior always has a cause. I think it is common for adult caregivers to apply adult rules and norms to interactions with children, and it becomes easy to forget that children do not have the same experience or capacity as adults. Specifically, the training mentioned that adults often feel that a child’s behavior is “manipulative” when in reality the behavior is a response to an unmet need. In my own work I have become frustrated with tantrums and have often had to find creative ways through tantrums. Had I seen this training sooner, I believe that I would have been better equipped to help children with their big feelings. As a caregiver, the plans for dealing with tantrums are extremely useful, as well as thought provoking. In relation to working with FamConnect, I found the training’s emphasis on working with people from cultures other than my own to be useful. I particularly appreciated the example of a clinician reflecting on her response to the parenting of someone from another culture. When working with FamConnect I will use the information from the training to reflect on how my own cultural bias and upbringing informs my responses. It will be important to reflect on how this group’s unique experience of gender based violence has created district struggles that are not independent of cultural influences. Additionally I will do my best to understand other cultures and engage with the community. The training also gave me insight into how traumatic experiences due to gender based violence may affect the adolescent girls involved with FamConnect. Regarding ACEs and PTSD, the training demonstrated possible behavioral responses in adolescents that will be useful to be familiar with given that the adolescents in FamConnect have experienced GBV. Interventions that the training highlighted that may be useful include developing support systems and highlighting resilience.