Youthcentrix, Author at YOUTHCENTRIX®

During pre-adolescence and teenage years, youth want to know that their voice and creative ideas matter. Having a say in what to wear or hairstyle gives a sense of control over themselves and their bodies. Giving feedback about family activities feels empowering and validating. Being able to explain their thinking helps youth feel some sense of influence while they are still mostly dependent on adults for their care and support.

Caregivers can support youth by giving them an opportunity to state their perspective on activities. To contribute to the flow of daily life. As the adult, if there is a health and safety reason a child’s idea cannot be used that’s a teachable moment. Teach them up by stating the reason their idea cannot be implemented this time. Do so without judgment about the quality of their opinion. No one wants to feel stupid. Especially if other people are watching.

To be trauma responsive, share with the child if his or her preference can be used in its entirety. Consider if part of their idea can be used at a different time or under different circumstances. They may have useful and creative ideas to improve the idea, so everyone wins.

Gathering their opinions is an opportunity to understand, praise, and coach them on their thinking while also letting them fully participate in what happens during their day. You listening to them lets them know they have a voice that should be heard.

To learn more about the trauma-informed and equity-focused work at Youthcentrix® Therapy services, visit us online at www.youthcentrix.com.

Youthcentrix® provides allied and behavioral health services to individuals, consulting to organizations and a learning lab to accelerate your mastery of trauma informed and equity-focused practices.

Our Master Trauma Informed Practices Accelerator Program is open for enrollment in schools and healthcare organizations. Enroll your school or healthcare organization here.

If you are a business leader interested in bringing trauma informed care and diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism (DEIA) to your organization reach out to Denise by emailing denise@youthcentrix.com.

Trauma informed care is designed to help individual people, communities, and organizations respond to the psychological overwhelm that people experience.

When you hear the word “trauma” you often think of something physical. Traumatic life events can cause physical harm. And even emotional distress. Psychological trauma happens when a negative event overwhelms a person’s ability to cope. That event can be an injury. A biking accident. The loss of a loved one to death or divorce. Experiencing or witnessing domestic violence. Surviving child abuse. Or having a family member go to prison or jail.

All those life events are adversities. And many people experience several of these events in a lifetime. Some people experience all of those adversities.

Adversity has the potential to hurt or slow development. But trauma takes adversity a step further. An adversity becomes trauma when dealing with hardship makes it difficult to respond in healthy ways to everyday life demands and stressors. Every person responds differently to a single adversity or to hardships that add up over time.

Trauma informed practices help people feel seen, heard, supported, and connected as they work to carry-on with daily life while dealing with overwhelming adversity.

To learn more about the trauma-informed and equity-focused work at Youthcentrix® Therapy services, visit us online at www.youthcentrix.com.

Our Master Trauma Informed Practices Accelerator Program is open for enrollment in schools and healthcare organizations. Enroll your school or healthcare organization here.

Trauma-Informed Practices at Home: Ask for Children’s Opinions

What are Trauma Informed Practices (TIPs)?