Trauma

Examples of potentially traumatic events:

  • Physical abuse and maltreatment

  • Sexual abuse

  • Family, school, or community violence

  • Death of a loved one, (especially a parent or caregiver)

  • Domestic violence

  • Community violence and criminal victimization

  • Medical trauma and chronic illness

  • Separation from a caregiver

  • Traumatic loss

  • Accidents/fires

  • Natural Disasters

  • War/terrorism

  • Adverse community environments

      • Racism/Discrimination

      • Poverty

      • Community Disruption

      • Lack of Opportunity, Economic Mobility & Social Capital

      • Poor Housing Quality & Affordability

      • Violence


What is Childhood Trauma?

Trauma occurs when a child experiences an intense event that threatens or causes harm to his or her emotional and physical well-being. Some events are more likely to be traumatic than others and people can have very different responses to the same event. When a child experiences trauma, it can affect their daily lives and their ability to get along with others.

Those who have experienced an intense trauma may respond/experience future stressors as though they are threatening or dangerous even if they are not, triggering the body's systems for keeping them safe.

  • Fight: irritability, anger, aggression, moving toward

  • Flight: anxiety & fear, panic, avoiding, chronic worry, perfectionism

  • Freeze: stuckness, collapse, immobilization, spacing out, depression, shame

  • Fawn: people-pleasing, avoiding conflict, prioritizing others' needs over their own, difficulty saying no, difficulty setting boundaries.


Please keep your counselor informed about any potentially traumatic events that you/your child has experienced so that they can help support you!!

For more resources, please reach out to the counseling office for your school. :)