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I am Stephanie Cooper, and I am in Angelo State's LPC Bridge Program. My personal goal is to practice self-care and provide the best support for my family. Once I complete the courses necessary to start working toward my LPC, my professional goal is to continue working as a school counselor while obtaining my hours to obtain my LPC. In addition, I eventually plan to work with military families. I want to learn various ways to help my current students and future clients work through trauma, mental health, and crises using specific techniques such as grounding tr trauma-informed care.

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Local Emergency and Non-Emergency Resources

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This article provides quick facts, strategies, and approaches that can be used to prevent adverse childhood experiences.

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Fast Facts: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC

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As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health, safety, and security threats.

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This is an excellent reminder of what we should do to foster a child's mental health. We are their first defense if they suffer from trauma or are in crisis.

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Introduction & Assessing Prior Knowledge U1:S1

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Introduction & Assessing Prior Knowledge U1:S1

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I am always intrigued by others' stories. I can relate to many of the posts, while others allow me to gain perspective. I love learning what makes people who they are and appreciate the chance to "walk in others' shoes."

I really enjoyed being able to think about my past experiences that may very well help me in my future role as an LPC and my current role as a school counselor. Although I did not think I had a great deal of prior knowledge, I soon realized my former roles and education are extremely relevant.

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American Counseling Association. (2014). 2014 ACA code of ethics. https://www.counseling.org/docs/default-source/default-document-library/2014-code-of-ethics-finaladdress.pdf?sfvrsn=96b532c_8

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Rich, A. (2019, May 7). Laws and Regulations. Samhsa.gov. https://www.samhsa.gov/about-us/who-we-are/laws-regulations

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Skinner-Osei, P., Mangan, L., Liggett, M., Kerrigan, M., & Levenson, J. (2019). Justice-Involved youth and trauma-informed interventions. Justice Policy Journal, Fall, 16(2). http://www.cjcj.org/uploads/cjcj/documents/justice-involved_youth_and_trauma-informed_interventions.pdf

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Soleimanpour, S., Geierstanger, S., & Brindis, C. D. (2017). Adverse Childhood Experiences and Resilience: Addressing the Unique Needs of Adolescents. Academic Pediatrics, 17(7), S108–S114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acap.2017.01.008

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Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Improving Cultural Competence. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series No. 59. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4849. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014.

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Reference Guide and Mental Health Disorders Reflection U1:S2

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Reference Guide and Mental Health Disorders Reflection U1:S2

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My first thought when I opened the file was, "Is this supposed to be completed within eight weeks or one?" :-) I quickly refocused my thoughts and realized the importance of the guide. It will provide invaluable information that I can easily assess.

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Developmental Discussion on Trauma U2:D1

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Developmental Discussion on Trauma U2:D1

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I particularly enjoyed learning more about ACE studies. I feel that more topics should be covered in their research, though. However, I am glad other situations not listed in the study are still considered adverse childhood experiences. I found an informative article that helped me understand the effects ACEs cause children and adults (Soleimanpour et al., 2017).

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Developmental Discussion on Trauma U2:D2

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Developmental Discussion on Trauma U2:D2

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I chose to watch Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story. I had not heard of it prior to seeing it listed on the choices, but was extremely intrigued by the title. We never know the trauma others face or endure.

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Developmental Discussion on Trauma U2:D3

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Developmental Discussion on Trauma U2:D3

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After watching Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story, I was moved to tears thinking of the trauma she endured. I was blown away by how powerful this documentary is. I learned a great deal of valuable information on how people think or react to situations. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the story unfolding and loved the long overdue, happy ending.

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Developmental Discussion on Trauma U2:D4

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Developmental Discussion on Trauma U2:D4

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As I reflect on the Murder to Mercy: The Cyntoia Brown Story, I cannot help but think of the multitude of young adults who have experienced similar situations. As a future LPC, I would like to do everything in my power to help children and adults work through their trauma in a way that may prevent drastic measures like wheat happened with Cyntoia. Researchers Skinner-Osei et al., (2019) suggested that adolescents become offenders because of their troubled home life, social challenges, or a combination of mental disorders or drug abuse.

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Cyntoia Brown-Long on redemption and life after prison

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Cyntoia Brown-Long sat down with CBS News' Vladimir Duthiers for a sweeping interview on redemption and life after prison.

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This is the standard used by the American Counseling Association. These are ethical guidelines to which those in the field must adhere. As a future LPC, it is important to familiarize myself with the legal and ethical standards pertaining to my role so I can better serve my clients.

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Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

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Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration

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This website is a great resource that provides links to laws and regulations pertaining to drug abuse and mental health.

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Laws and regulations pertaining to substance abuse and mental health services, SAMHSA programs, and related topics

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Psychological First Aid Online Certificate U3:S1

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Psychological First Aid Online Certificate U3:S1

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This was an extremely informative online course. I learned a great deal of information I can use in my current job and the future. The different types and experiences related to trauma not only involved disaster-related trauma but also touched on emotional, mental, and physical trauma. I gained a clearer understanding of PFA techniques.

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Crisis Prevention and Threat Assessment U3:S2

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Crisis Prevention and Threat Assessment U3:S2

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There is an urgent need to establish and maintain crisis protocols to assess and prevent trauma-based crises among teens. It is our job to help prevent suicide. The task is one that often scares me. Awareness is key.

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This video discusses the impact ACEs has on the brain, body, and behavior. It is a quick overview and has great information.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Impact on brain, body and behaviour

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The ABC Model really helped me break down how I could assist someone in crisis. My biggest take-a-way is knowing that each individual is different and perceives trauma in a way that may be completely different from the way someone else perceives it. We need to use an empathetic and encouraging ear when helping our clients who are struggling.

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The ABC Model Explained with Michael McCarthy

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Crisis and Trauma Padlet Reflection U4:S1

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Crisis and Trauma Padlet Reflection U4:S1

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As I think of the many uses for this padlet, I am reminded that I will be able to use this as a valuable resource for years to come. I like the idea of having a plethora of information all in one place.

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Cultural competence is crucial and necessary to work successfully with clients. According to the U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (2014), "Counselors, other clinical staff, and organizations need to become aware of their own attitudes, beliefs, biases, and assumptions about others. Providers need to invest in gaining cultural knowledge of the populations that they serve and obtaining specific cultural knowledge as it relates to help-seeking, treatment, and recovery" (p. 7).

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SUSD explains the referral process within the scope and practice of my job as a mental health professional. I am obligated to adhere to the roles and responsibilities and refer out appropriately in accordance with laws and regulations as a school counselor and a future LPC Associate, then LPC.

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This is a webinar about Trauma Informed Approaches used during Crisis Intervention

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Registered Nurses' Association of Ontario

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Crisis Intervention using Trauma Informed Approaches: A Best Practice Guideline

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It is always important to use empathy when working with people who have experienced trauma or a crisis.

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This is a panel of members are sharing their knowledge on children and pre-teens who are at risk of suicide.

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National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

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Understanding Suicide Risk Among Children and Pre-teens: A Synthesis Workshop

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This article explores how trauma makes us think, feel, and act. There are great visuals and an embedded video included in the article.

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Introduction

When we go through trauma, our brains don't function like they normally do. We shift into survival mode. Like a deer in the headlights, our brains direct all our mental and physical energy toward dealing with the immediate threat until it's gone. In normal situations, this state fades over time. Trauma isn't just something we experience after being in a warzone or in a violent situation, we can be traumatized by our relationships. See: Betrayal Trauma.

Sometimes, though, our initial trauma response sticks, making it difficult for us to function as we'd like. Trauma can change the way we think, feel, and act for a long time after the initial event. For many people, this could mean flashbacks or nightmares, a constant feeling of being on edge, loneliness, anger, intrusive thoughts and memories, self-destructive actions, and more.

All these things are very normal responses to trauma, but they don't always go away on their own. The good news is that patterns that might seem permanent can actually be reversed--with the right approach and knowledge, you can shift your brain towards healing. However, it can be difficult to see a path forward without first understanding how and why these changes happen.

The Brain's Response to Trauma

Trauma can change your brain on many levels, from the way you make decisions down to your immediate, subconscious responses to the world around you. Part of the reason it can be so hard to overcome the effects of trauma is that it goes after several areas of your brain at once.

According to a 2006 by NIH, trauma mainly affects three important parts of your brain: the amygdala, which is your emotional and instinctual center; the hippocampus, which controls memory; and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for regulating your emotions and impulses. All three parts work together to manage stress.

When you're reminded of a traumatic experience, your amygdala (emotional and survival center) goes into overdrive, acting just as it would if you were experiencing that trauma for the first time. Your prefrontal cortex also becomes suppressed, so you're less capable of controlling your fear--you're stuck in a purely reactive state.

Meanwhile, trauma also leads to reduced activity in the hippocampus, one of whose functions is to distinguish between past and present. In other words, your brain can't tell the difference between the actual traumatic event and the memory of it. It perceives things that trigger memories of traumatic events as threats themselves.

Trauma can cause your brain to remain in a state of hypervigilance, suppressing your memory and impulse control and trapping you in a constant state of strong emotional reactivity.

The Healing Process

It might seem like trauma does irreversible damage to your brain--that's not true. Our brains are extremely adaptable. Neuroplasticity , the brain's ability to form new connections, explains why we can rewire our brains to reverse trauma's damaging effects.

Our brains are more susceptible to change than many people think, and even though overcoming trauma is a difficult process, you're actually changing the way your brain works: adding new pathways, increasing the functions of certain areas, and strengthening connections. It's the same mechanism that allows us to grow and change by learning.

During the healing process, you can actually rewire and retrain your brain to reverse the effects of trauma. You can reinforce your prefrontal cortex and get back rationality and control. You can strengthen your hippocampus and help your memory work how it's supposed to. And you can subdue the hyperactive amygdala, which will help bring you peace.

With time and the right help and therapeutic methods, you can find a way to overcome trauma, right down to your neurons.

Our approach at Whole Wellness Therapy is based on this simple truth, that our brains physically change based on our surroundings. That means that the best therapeutic environment that we work to create at our offices, puts you in a growth producing environment. This philosophy is what makes us so successful in treating the complexity of past trauma with our unique trauma therapy.

Read More About Brain Science:
https://highlandspringsclinic.org/blog/can-emotional-trauma-cause-brain-damage/ https://brainblogger.com/2015/01/24/how-does-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-change-the-brain/
Read More About Neuroplasticity:
https://positivepsychology.com/neuroplasticity/

About The Author

Isaac Smith, MAT, LCSW, FNTP is the founder of Whole Wellness Therapy, and serves as the Executive Director. Isaac gives presentations on topics including addiction, trauma, grief and loss, and anxiety, in addition to providing professional consultations. Prior to founding the practice, Isaac worked with UC Davis Health to help them build and launch their substance use disorder treatment program as well as their Collaborative Care program, which focuses on treating chronic depression and anxiety in older adults. Committed to life-long learning, Isaac holds a master's degree in Theology and has advanced training in nutritional therapy. Currently, he is pursuing a doctor of psychology degree at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA.

Introduction

When we go through trauma, our brains don't function like they normally do. We shift into survival mode. Like a deer in the headlights, our brains direct all our mental and physical energy toward dealing with the immediate threat until it's gone. In normal situations, this state fades over time. Trauma isn't just something we experience after being in a warzone or in a violent situation, we can be traumatized by our relationships. See: Betrayal Trauma.

Sometimes, though, our initial trauma response sticks, making it difficult for us to function as we'd like. Trauma can change the way we think, feel, and act for a long time after the initial event. For many people, this could mean flashbacks or nightmares, a constant feeling of being on edge, loneliness, anger, intrusive thoughts and memories, self-destructive actions, and more.

All these things are very normal responses to trauma, but they don't always go away on their own. The good news is that patterns that might seem permanent can actually be reversed--with the right approach and knowledge, you can shift your brain towards healing. However, it can be difficult to see a path forward without first understanding how and why these changes happen.

The Brain's Response to Trauma

Trauma can change your brain on many levels, from the way you make decisions down to your immediate, subconscious responses to the world around you. Part of the reason it can be so hard to overcome the effects of trauma is that it goes after several areas of your brain at once.

According to a 2006 by NIH, trauma mainly affects three important parts of your brain: the amygdala, which is your emotional and instinctual center; the hippocampus, which controls memory; and the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for regulating your emotions and impulses. All three parts work together to manage stress.

When you're reminded of a traumatic experience, your amygdala (emotional and survival center) goes into overdrive, acting just as it would if you were experiencing that trauma for the first time. Your prefrontal cortex also becomes suppressed, so you're less capable of controlling your fear--you're stuck in a purely reactive state.

Meanwhile, trauma also leads to reduced activity in the hippocampus, one of whose functions is to distinguish between past and present. In other words, your brain can't tell the difference between the actual traumatic event and the memory of it. It perceives things that trigger memories of traumatic events as threats themselves.

Trauma can cause your brain to remain in a state of hypervigilance, suppressing your memory and impulse control and trapping you in a constant state of strong emotional reactivity.

The Healing Process

It might seem like trauma does irreversible damage to your brain--that's not true. Our brains are extremely adaptable. Neuroplasticity , the brain's ability to form new connections, explains why we can rewire our brains to reverse trauma's damaging effects.

Our brains are more susceptible to change than many people think, and even though overcoming trauma is a difficult process, you're actually changing the way your brain works: adding new pathways, increasing the functions of certain areas, and strengthening connections. It's the same mechanism that allows us to grow and change by learning.

During the healing process, you can actually rewire and retrain your brain to reverse the effects of trauma. You can reinforce your prefrontal cortex and get back rationality and control. You can strengthen your hippocampus and help your memory work how it's supposed to. And you can subdue the hyperactive amygdala, which will help bring you peace.

With time and the right help and therapeutic methods, you can find a way to overcome trauma, right down to your neurons.

Our approach at Whole Wellness Therapy is based on this simple truth, that our brains physically change based on our surroundings. That means that the best therapeutic environment that we work to create at our offices, puts you in a growth producing environment. This philosophy is what makes us so successful in treating the complexity of past trauma with our unique trauma therapy.

Read More About Brain Science:
https://highlandspringsclinic.org/blog/can-emotional-trauma-cause-brain-damage/ https://brainblogger.com/2015/01/24/how-does-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-change-the-brain/
Read More About Neuroplasticity:
https://positivepsychology.com/neuroplasticity/

About The Author

Isaac Smith, MAT, LCSW, FNTP is the founder of Whole Wellness Therapy, and serves as the Executive Director. Isaac gives presentations on topics including addiction, trauma, grief and loss, and anxiety, in addition to providing professional consultations. Prior to founding the practice, Isaac worked with UC Davis Health to help them build and launch their substance use disorder treatment program as well as their Collaborative Care program, which focuses on treating chronic depression and anxiety in older adults. Committed to life-long learning, Isaac holds a master's degree in Theology and has advanced training in nutritional therapy. Currently, he is pursuing a doctor of psychology degree at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, CA.

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How Does Trauma Affect the Brain? - And what it means for you

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When we go through trauma, our brains don't function like they normally do. We shift into survival mode. Like a deer in the headlights, our brains direct all our mental and physical energy toward dealing with the immediate threat until it's gone. In normal situations, this state fades over time.