Trauma-Informed Resilience-Focused Schools Guidebook
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
TRAUMA-INFORMED RESILIENCE-FOCUSED SCHOOLS GUIDEBOOK DRIVEN TO HEAL STARR.ORG Trauma Informed Resilient Schools GUIDEBOOK Starr Commonwealth 13725 Starr Commonwealth Road, Albion, MI 49224 www.starr.org | [email protected] ©2019 Table of Contents Starr’s Professional Training and Coaching . 1 10 Steps to Trauma-Informed Schools . 2 Starr’s Core Values and Beliefs . 3 Circle of Courage® . 5 What is Resilience . 6 What is Trauma . 7 Trauma Exposure . 8 Types of Trauma . 9 Activity: The Animals Inside Me . 10 Understand Trauma’s Impact Activity . 12 Potential Signs and Symptoms that May Indicate Trauma . 13 Life Events Checklist . 14 ACEs Questionnaire . 15 View Trauma as an Experience . 19 Trauma and Attachment . 20 Fostering Connections . 21 Emotional Awareness . 22 Body Scan . 23 Time In vs. Time Out . 24 Turning Routines into Rituals . 25 Vulnerable Times for Feeling Unsafe at School . 26 Top Ten Fears . 27 Impact of Safety at School . 28 Activity: Brain Break . 29 Childhood Trauma Infographic . 31 10 Things About Childhood Trauma . 39 Childhood Trauma . 42 Resources . 47 starr.org Children’s Mandate “If you don’t think what I think, feel what I feel, experience what I experience, and see what I see when I look at myself, others and the world around me, how can you possibly know what is best for me?” Starr Commonwealth Starr Commonwealth’s professional training centered on the concept that changing behav- and consultation arm emerges from the vision ior isn’t possible until you change the sensory that: knowledge + empowerment = impact. memories that fuel that behavior. SITCAP® provides a powerful framework for helping Starr provides guidance and expertise to those who have been traumatized engage in “helpers” from around the world in the form program activities to allow them to experience of research, publications, e-learning courses, themselves as safe and empowered. They will in-person trainings, conferences and events, no longer be victims but survivors and thrivers, professional certifications, as well as school/ ready to flourish. They will experience them- agency-wide accreditation. These products selves differently and thereafter view their ex- and services are offered through Starr’s three key training programs: The National Institute perience in ways that are manageable. for Trauma and Loss in Children (TLC), Re- Developed and used since 1990 and field-test- claiming Youth International (RYI), and Glass- wing (GW). ed in schools and community agencies, SIT- CAP® is supported by the latest scientific ad- Starr’s proven SITCAP® (Structured Sensory vances in brain science and has been featured Interventions for Traumatized Children, Ado- in leading journals and numerous books on lescents and Parents) model was pioneered childhood trauma. by internationally recognized experts and is © 2019 Starr Commonwealth - 1 - Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools Guidebook 10 Steps to Trauma-Informed Schools 1. Focus on Resilience 2. Understand Trauma as an Experience 3. Foster Connections 4. Prioritize Social and Emotional Skill Development 5. Establish Safety 6. Promote Play 7. Understand the Link between Private Logic and Behavior 8. Collaborate with Families and Communities 9. Support and Invest in Staff 10. Collect and Utilize Outcome Data - 2 - © 2019 Starr Commonwealth www.starr.org Starr's Core Values and Beliefs We believe... n That there’s no such thing as a bad child. n That badness is not a normal condition but is the result of misdirected energy and unmet needs. n That every child will be good if given an opportunity in an environment of love and activity. n In play. n That children are resources. n That children merit confidence and trust. n That problems are opportunities. n That everyone has a responsibility to help and no one has the right to hurt. © 2019 Starr Commonwealth - 3 - Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools Guidebook Core Values and Beliefs What are the core values and beliefs in your professional setting? How do these values and beliefs influence the way children are viewed and treated? - 4 - © 2019 Starr Commonwealth www.starr.org Circle of Courage© Restore and Nurture Universal Needs Belonging Independence The presence of a strong sense of belong- In contrast to obedience models of disci- ing makes young people more receptive to pline, teaching should be designed to build guidance from other community members. respect and teach inner discipline. Children And, even if parents/caregivers are struggling should be encouraged to make decisions, – there are others there to help children. A solve problems, show personal responsibility, sense of belonging helps children draw from and learn/practice emotional awareness and a group as well as from themselves. regulation. Adults can model, nurture, and guide but children should be given opportu- nities to make choices without coercion. Mastery Generosity The goal of mastery is to achieve one’s po- Children must be given opportunities to tential, not perfection, and then contribute develop abilities for being generous and un- to and provide for their greater community. selfish. In helping others, we create our own When success is met, the desire to achieve proof of worthiness, for we have the power is strengthened. to make positive contributions to the world. Children increase their sense of self-worth as they become committed to the positive value of caring for others. “The developmental needs of children are universal.” -Dr. Martin Brokenleg © 2019 Starr Commonwealth - 5 - Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools What is Resilience? Resilience is the ability to achieve positive outcomes – mentally, emotionally, socially, and spiritually – despite adversity. What does research tell us today? Four Main Protective Factors for Resilient Children 1. Supportive adult-child relationships 2. A sense of self-efficacy and perceived control 3. Adaptive skills and self-regulatory capacities 4. Sources of faith, hope, and cultural traditions - 6 - © 2019 Starr Commonwealth www.starr.org What is Trauma? Trauma is any experience that leaves a person feeling hopeless, helpless, and fearing for their life/survival or safety. This experience can be REAL or PERCEIVED. We can experience trauma in many ways. The causes of trauma are less important than how trauma manifests in a child’s life but it is import- ant to understand that we can experience trauma in many ways. www.starr.org - 7 - Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools TRAUMA EXPOSURE • Victim (abuse, neglect, car accident) • Witness (personal witness – domestic violence, police, fire) • Related to (peer, siblings – of chronically ill siblings, sibling that completed suicide) • Listening to details of trauma (therapists, media exposure, video games, etc.) - 8 - © 2019 Starr Commonwealth www.starr.org Types of Trauma Types of Trauma • Type 1 – Single exposure • Type 2 – One type of exposure that is repeat- ed OR exposure to one or two different events • Type 3 – Toxic Stress and Developmental Trauma Disorder About Developmental Trauma Disorder • A proposed diagnosis to help us understand the symptoms and reactions children experi- ence when they have grown and developed in a constant state of stress and trauma. • Would help us when there are multiple diag- noses but we know trauma is at the core of the symptomology. • Would help us when we don’t know how to diagnose but we know trauma is at the core. Proposed by Robert Pynoos and Bessel van der Kolk in 2005, 2009, 2013 – with no success for approv- al by the APA. www.starr.org - 9 - Trauma-Informed Resilient Schools Guidebook Activity: The Animals Inside Me Script: Today I want to teach you about how your body responds to various experiences. The best way I have found to teach kids about this is to have them think about three animals. I am sure you have heard about tigers and owls, but there is another less common animal. Let’s talk about the animals now. Meerkat Have you ever heard of a meerkat? They are cat-like animals that live in Africa. Meerkats live in groups and one of them is always watching out for the others. They take turns being the watch guard for their pack. They keep a look out for predators like hawks and eagles. When the meerkat sees, hears, smells, or feels something suspicious they let out a big bark to alert the others. When you think about a meerkat, think about them as watch guards. Tiger Tigers are part of the cat family. They love to eat, sleep, and play. They are excellent hunters and can be very ferocious when they feel threatened. They are always ready to run or fight. Owl Owls are wise and able to see things from a long distance. They are good problem solvers and decision makers. - 10 - © 2019 Starr Commonwealth www.starr.org Let’s review, the meerkat is a watch guard, tiger is always ready to run or fight but really loves to play, and the owl is a good decision maker. Think about your body as having three animals, a meerkat, tiger, and owl living inside. All three are present all the time. The meerkat is quiet but is always on the lookout and respon- sible for alerting the tiger and owl if they sense danger, worry, or hurt. The meerkat will let out a loud sound to let the tiger and owl know when something looks, smells, or sounds suspicious. The more bad things that happen, the more the meerkat will be on the lookout. Think of the meerkat as the watch guard. If the meerkat is quiet and not sounding an alarm, the tiger plays with friends, enjoys a good night of sleep and eats when he is hungry. The owl will be busy reading books, learning new things, making good decisions, and forming plans. What we need to remember though is if the meerkat sounds an alarm, then the owl will immedi- ately fly away and hide because he gets scared! If the meerkat sounds an alarm, the tiger feels threatened and gets ready to run and fight.