The Brain & Trauma

1. The Brain & Trauma July 9, 2013 – Adams County Foster Parents Presented By: Aaron Wiemeier M.S. LPC

2. Trauma What is Trauma?

3. Trauma Definition: Medical • Injury or insult to body/shock • Experience that is emotionally painful or distressing Psychiatric Both can be Acute or Long Term

4. Trauma Definition: Psychiatric/Emotional Subtypes: • Developmental (1) • Environmental • Secondary

5. Trauma Important Notes: • Trauma is relative • Body/Brain organized to heal trauma naturally • Developmental trauma as harmful as single acute episode (1) • Be aware  Perception of Trauma  What one feels is traumatic another may not

6. Trauma Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Criteria: A) Both 1) experience/witness/confronted  death/serious injury/threat of 2) Response  fear/helplessness/horror

7. Trauma Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Criteria: B) Recurrent thoughts/dreams/feelings C) Avoidance of things associated with event D) Persistent symptoms of increased arousal E) Duration F) Causes clinically significant impairment in social, occupational or other areas of functioning

8. Trauma Trauma Memory Non-Declarative Memory

9. Trauma Trauma Memory • Stored as early as 6 months In-Utero • Stored in Limbic System (Amygdala & Hippocampus) • Much more permanent • Unconscious • Similar to procedural memory

10. Trauma Trauma’s Effect on the Brain

11. Trauma Trauma’s Effect on the Brain • Smaller Hippocampus (long term memory) (3) • Short term memory deficits • Dysfunctional Stress-Response System (Cortisol) (1)

12. Trauma Trauma’s Effect on the Brain Behavioral Because the trauma has affected the structures our brain uses to deal with stress/hurt/pain emotional or otherwise We resort to other less natural and more dysfunctional patterns of dealing such as:

13. Trauma Trauma’s Effect on the Brain • Anger  The “safest” feeling to express - emotional dysregulation • Attention/Impulsivity Issues - Hyperarousal • Emotional Withdrawal/Numbing • Enuresis/Encopresis  primal soothing mechanism • Distraction: creating conflict/cutting etc. • Delayed/Impaired Ability to recognize feelings  categorical “fight or Flight”/all or nothing response

14. Trauma Hierarchy of Self-Protective Brain Responses

15. The Road Block To Healing Trauma Negative Cognitive Message – I am powerless, I deserve bad things, I am not worthy, I am not loveable etc.

16. The Aversive State Trauma Outside does not equal inside • Creates a state of stress that must be reduced eventually • We reduce the stress on one side or the other (inside traditionally is harder to “reduce” and because its tied to trauma and is more permanent. Our environment and thoughts are not nearly as permanent. • Explains Self-Sabotage, Messy Rooms etc.

17. Practical Applications – General Overview The Brain & Trauma

18. The Brain & Trauma Practical Applications for Adults • Our own negative cognitive message = largest trigger • Taking Care of Yourself • Separate the action from the person – right & wrong choice • Time is your “ally” Adult Emotional Regulation 4-7-8

19. The Brain & Trauma Practical Applications for Adults “It’s not how you feel but where you feel” Non-Verbal Body Awareness • 75% of all communication • Eye Contact • Facial Expression • Voice Tone • Posture • Gesture • Timing & Intensity of response (1)

20. The Brain & Trauma

21. The Brain & Trauma Practical Applications for Children & Families Reframing Behavior as Fear-Based • for self as well as child (www.postinstitute.com) • not focusing on surface behavior but what is underneath (Attachment Disorder) • Repetition • Eliminate systemic fear-SocietyAdminStaffChild

22. Practical Applications – Children The Brain & Trauma Coping Skill Development & Emotional Awareness • Healing Hand • Method of Loci (memory strategy) • Need to be different types (at least one internal)

23. The Brain & Trauma Practical Applications for Adults Structure & Discipline • Discipline = “to teach” • Consistency/Follow Through • 3 Levels of Choice: Open/You Choose (weighted?) /”I action – base on emotional needs of child at current time Love/Nurturing • Attachment Considerations • Chemistry of Connection/The Connected Child

24. The Brain & Trauma Other Intervention Ideas For Healing The Brain Gym • Exercises that stimulate right/left brain connection as well as connection between lower and higher organized parts My Sensory Workbook: Lauren Kerstein

25. Other Intervention Ideas For Healing The Brain & Trauma • Bridges the gap between thinking mind and emotional mind (trauma memory needs to “MOVE”) • Gets children out of categorical all or nothing emotions • Equips child with coping skills and discerns between right and wrong choices • Helps child rate feelings on a scale and learn “where” they feel • - Teaches children different names and groups of feelings as well as how to describe them more vividly www.myfeelingsworkbook.com

26. My Feelings Workbook - Populations The Brain & Trauma • Trauma/PTSD • Autism/Aspergers • Enuresis/Encopresis • Anger/Opposition & Defiance • ADHD • Chronic Stress • Depression • EMDR preparation

27. The Brain & Trauma Family-School-Community = Healthy Resilient Children Thank You For All You Do!

28. The Brain & Trauma References: www.traumaresources.org (Trauma, Brain & Relationship DVD 2000) (1) www.brainconnection.com (2) www.leadershipcouncil.org (3) www.growingchild.com (4) http://library.thinkquest.org (5) Perry, B.D. (1997) Incubator of Terror: Neurodevelopmental Factors in the Cycle of Violence (6) Other Helpful Websites: www.postinstitute.com www.attachment.org