The Impact of Trauma and The Path to Healing

Trauma is a scary or dangerous experience and according to Dr. Sufna John, it is an experience that is far more common that most people think. Unfortunately, trauma has a tendency to beget more trauma and so it is important to recognize and address trauma early on.

Restore Hope employees and partners met to hear from Dr. Sufna John to gain insight and training to address trauma for families in crisis.

Although 90% of the brain is developed before the age of 5, fortunately PTSD is one of the most researched and treatable mental health concerns. The issue is most people don't ever access treatment.

Dr. John doesn't want people to be discouraged by the significant impact of trauma.

"Trauma changes the brain," she concedes, "but healing changes the brain, too." It is never too late for someone to heal and the best predictor of healing after trauma is the presence of at least one safe and positive influencing adult. Dr. John says this adult does not even have to be a permanent relationship in order foster resilience in a child.

"You can be this adult for people," she encourages the providers in the room, "even if you come into their life for very short periods of time."

Ideally, a parent acts as that anchor for children. But what if parents are also experiencing trauma?

Dr. John informs listeners that trauma in the parent-child relationship does not go one way. Parents can be traumatized by their children or by their own triggered adverse childhood experiences.

Becoming a parent represents significant life change and parenting comes naturally in the way that you were parented.

"It is very difficult to give someone something you never had," says Dr. John.

Most times, parents don't have space to talk about the ways their children impact them. They struggle to identify and regulate their own emotions and are therefore unable to teach their children to identify and regulate emotions.

How does knowing someone's history and understanding the impact of trauma on their emotions and behaviors alter the way family advocates and service providers interact with them?

Dr. Sufna John recommends benevolence. Benevolence with families means assuming that people are doing their best within their environmental constraints. This not only benefits the family, but it also benefits the family advocates by keeping them compassionate, intentional, and authentic.