The Brain & Trauma

The Brain & TraumaOctober 4, 2013 – Colorado School

Social Workers Association

Presented By:

Aaron Wiemeier M.S. LPC

Online Power Point & Documents: www.allabouttrauma.com

Trauma

What is Trauma?

Trauma

Definition:Medical

Psychiatric

Injury or insult to body/shock

Experience that is emotionally painful or distressing

Both can be Acute or Long Term

Trauma

Definition:Psychiatric/Emotional Subtypes:

Developmental (1)

Environmental

Secondary

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

Trauma

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Criteria: A)

Both 1) experience/witness/confronted death/serious injury/threat of

2) Response fear/helplessness/horror

Trauma

Posttraumatic Stress DisorderCriteria:

B) Recurrent thoughts/dreams/feelings can happen anytime/anywhere similar to day dream – how many of your students “zone out”

C) Avoidance of things associated with event what if the trauma was verbal abuse for “not working hard enough” or doing something to expectation

D) Persistent symptoms of increased arousal sometimes less environmental stimulation is better

E) Duration

F) Causes clinically significant impairment in academic, social, occupational or other areas of functioning

Trauma

Trauma Memory

Non-Declarative Memory

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

Trauma

Trauma’s Effect on the Brain

Trauma

Trauma’s Effect on the Brain

Smaller Hippocampus (long term memory) (3)

Short term memory deficits

Dysfunctional Stress-Response System (Cortisol) (1)

TraumaTrauma’s Effect on the Brain

Because the trauma has affected the structures our brain uses to deal with stress/hurt/pain emotional or otherwise

Behavioral

We resort to other less natural and more dysfunctional patterns of dealing such as:

TraumaTrauma, the Brain & Behavior: Coping

Anger The “safest” feeling to express - emotional dysregulation

PTSD/ADHD/SPD/ASD/RAD/ODD/DMDD Comorbidity This new diagnostic category includes children exhibiting persistent irritability and severe behavioral outbursts 3 or more times per week for more than 1 year

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

Trauma

Catatonia

Repression

Identity Disorder/Conversion

Regression

Rage

Anger

Denial/Avoidance

Hierarchy of Self-Protective Brain

Responses

Trauma & Assessment• Starting Point: Everyone has experienced some form of trauma! What is yours and how might

it interact with the students? (Anger Clue)

• Become Familiar with Trauma Symptom Checklist (www.allabouttrauma.com)

• Know basic differences between common diagnosis (Bipolar/RAD/ADHD comparison) (www.allaboutrauma.com)

• Add to assessment measures questions that incorporate secondary/developmental trauma (i.e. what shows/video games do they or their families frequently watch/play – CSI/Call of Duty/Reality Shows/Springer Shows)

• Community based secondary trauma assessments/interventions/protocols that assist staff/students in dealing with these experiences in a way that’s consistent with PTSD integration protocol and current PTSD research

** What is the first and most important step in coping with a trauma initially

regardless of its type?

Taken From An MTSS Presentation out of Kansas by Dr. Alexa Posny October 9,2009

“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the classroom. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a teacher, I possess tremendous power to make a child’s life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of

torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated and a

child humanized or dehumanized.”

~Dr. Haim Ginott

“I’ve come to the frightening conclusion that I am the decisive element in the school. It’s my daily mood that makes the weather. As a principal, I possess tremendous power to make a teachers life miserable or joyous. I can be a tool of torture or an instrument of inspiration. I can humiliate or humor, hurt or heal. In all situations, it is my response that decides whether a crisis will be escalated and a teacher or staff member is humanized or

dehumanized.” ~Dr. Haim Ginott – Edited by Aaron Wiemeier LPC

Trauma

Negative Cognition

EmotionalResponse

Biological Response

Trauma

The Road Block To Healing

Negative Cognitive Message – I am powerless, I deserve bad things, I am not worthy, I am not loveable etc.

TraumaThe Aversive State

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.

The Brain & TraumaPractical Applications – General Overview

The Brain & Trauma

Practical Applications for Adults

Adult Emotional Regulation

• Our own negative cognitive message = largest trigger

• Taking Care of Yourself

• Separate the action from the person – right & wrong choice

• Time is your “ally”

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)

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/Reduce systemic fear-SocietyAdminStaffChild

The Brain & TraumaPractical Applications – Children

Coping Skill Development & Emotional Awareness

• Healing Hand

• Method of Loci (memory strategy)

• Need to be different types (at least one internal)

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 – hypodermic/good coach approach - how much can they tolerate/grounding statements

• Chemistry of Connection/The Connected Child

The Brain & Trauma: Resources

The Brain Gym

My Sensory Book: Lauren Kerstein

www.laurenkerstein.com

Challenge Software: www.cpschallenge.com

The Brain & Trauma: Resources

www.myfeelingsworkbook.com

Brain, Trauma & MTSS/RTI

The Brain & TraumaFamily-School-Community = Healthy Resilient Children

Thank You For All You

Do!

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