# data[].attributes.body
The ACA Code of Ethics is the guidelines counselors use to guide their ethical decision-making process. The code provides a detailed resource for counselors to reference and use in their counseling role.

Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council and Texas State Board of Examiners of Professionals Counselors Rules are the laws a counselor must follow.

# data[].attributes.headline
Psychological First Aid Online Reflection

# data[].attributes.subject
Psychological First Aid Online Reflection

# data[].attributes.body
Completing the Psychological First Aid Online was beneficial. It allowed me to gain information on handling emergency trauma response situations. Understanding the importance of observing the situation before inserting yourself is essential. It is necessary to provide only vital, valuable information to each person. Listening and providing for the immediate concerns is the goal. The goal is to provide short-term help in emergencies. Also, making sure that you do not become run down when volunteering in these trauma-induced situations is a high priority. I will refer to my Psychological First Aid information before volunteering in these high-needs emergencies.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Fast Facts: Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences |Violence Prevention|Injury Center|CDC

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health, safety, and security threats.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
An ACE score is a tally of different types of abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood. According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be and the higher your risk for later health problems. You can take the test below:

So, you've got your score. Now what?

First, remember that the ACE score isn't a crystal ball; it's just meant as guidance. It tells you about one type of risk factor among many. It doesn't directly take into account your diet or genes, or whether you smoke or drink excessively - to name just a few of the other major influences on health.

To learn more, check the CDC's ACE Study website. You'll find, among other things, a list of studies that explore the ways adverse childhood experiences have been linked to a variety of adult conditions, ranging from increased headaches to depression to heart disease.

Remember this, too: ACE scores don't tally the positive experiences in early life that can help build resilience and protect a child from the effects of trauma. Having a grandparent who loves you, a teacher who understands and believes in you, or a trusted friend you can confide in may mitigate the long-term effects of early trauma, psychologists say.

"There are people with high ACE scores who do remarkably well," says Jack Shonkoff, a pediatrician and director of the Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University.

Resilience, he says, builds throughout life, and close relationships are key. Recent research also suggests that for adults, "trauma informed" therapy - which can center on art, yoga or mindfulness training - can help.

How best to find and help kids who are experiencing abuse and neglect right now?

Child psychologist Hilit Kletter, of Stanford University's School of Medicine, says that to spot these children, she looks for visible signs of stress to understand what might have happened to them and how best to intervene. Some kids have nightmares or recurring thoughts of a stressful event, she says, or may re-enact the trauma through play. Or the child may seem distracted or withdrawn.

"This will come out at school," Kletter says. "Teachers will tell parents [their child] seems to be in a daze in the classroom, not paying attention."

Kletter says reactions to trauma are sometimes misdiagnosed as symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, because kids dealing with adverse experiences may be impulsive - acting out with anger or other strong emotions.

"It's something that's very common in trauma: difficulty in regulating emotions and behavior," she explains. "That's why a lot of these kids get in trouble with the classroom."

Shonkoff's research center at Harvard tests interventions that can build resilience in kids who are growing up with adverse experiences - not just problems in the family, such as those the ACE study investigated, but also trauma stemming from poverty, for example, or from the chronic stress of racial or gender discrimination.

To bolster parents, the Harvard team is testing interventions right now that use video coaching to show moms and dads how to engage their babbling infants, using sounds and facial expressions in a style Shonkoff calls serve and return.

Shonkoff says these early interactions - a kind of conversation - have been shown to help children with later learning and literacy. Even more important, they boost kids' resilience, by helping them build secure attachments with caring adults. Research suggests that just one caring, safe relationship early in life gives any child a much better shot at growing up healthy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Take The ACE Quiz - And Learn What It Does And Doesn't Mean

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
First developed in the 1990s, the 10 questions of the Adverse Childhood Experiences test are designed to take a rough measure of a difficult childhood. Finding out your score is easy. Now what?

# data[].attributes.headline
Crisis Prevention and Threat Assessment Reflection

# data[].attributes.subject
Crisis Prevention and Threat Assessment Reflection

# data[].attributes.body
Completing the Crisis Prevention and Threat Assessment for Bullying was an extensive project. There were many moving parts. Working with a group can sometimes be challenging, but having different perspectives and more people to share the workload is good. It is essential to learn to collaborate in a professional setting, and this allowed me the opportunity to do that. The resources and information that we were able to compile in our presentation will prove to be invaluable in my role as a special education counselor. It will allow me to have a plan of action and resources in one presentation. This assignment was beneficial and something that I will continue to use in the future.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Stop Bullying on the Spot

When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time.

Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can help kids prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
StopBullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on bullying, cyberbullying, prevention and response.

# data[].attributes.headline
Second Step School Resources for Bullying

# data[].attributes.subject
Second Step School Resources for Bullying

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Buy Now

Training, lessons, and family resources developed to put research-based strategies in the hands of educators to create spaces safe for learning.
Jump to research.

Via online training, school staff learn to work with all students involved in bullying, including bystanders, for an improved school climate.

Jump to staff training demo.

When all staff learn how to recognize and respond to bullying effectively, students understand that they can trust staff to deal with it appropriately.

With the help of acclaimed author Trudy Ludwig, we've woven engaging live action and animated videos into every lesson.

Jump to sample lesson video.

The Bullying Prevention Unit includes principal resources, staff training, and student lessons to help everyone learn bullying prevention techniques.

Jump to sample lessons.

"Relationships are so key in solving bullying issues. Kids love to trust that the adult cares. That's why it's so important that every single adult in a building has the strategy and the knowledge to listen to a student and validate what they're saying."

Kim Bilanko, Principal, Benjamin Franklin Elementary, Kirkland, WA

Scope & Sequence

A complete list of lessons and learning objectives for the Bullying Prevention Unit, Kindergarten-Grade 5.
Download the PDF

The Bullying Prevention Unit features training modules to help staff develop ways to effectively identify and deal with bullying throughout the school. Staff education is easy to implement and will help make a difference in students' lives.
Try Out the Sample Training Scenario

Research continues to show that bullying negatively affects the social, emotional, and academic health of all involved-victims, offenders, and bystanders. We're committed to translating up-to-date and reliable research into tools schools can easily integrate into creating safe and successful learning environments.

Review of Research
As with all of our programs, we've designed the Bullying Prevention Unit based on best practices according to current, reliable research in the field. Learn more about the research that informed the design and content of this highly effective program. See Research Summary (PDF)

"Bullying Prevention in Schools Starts with SEL"
This white paper highlights research showing that effective bullying prevention requires a multi-pronged approach that starts with social-emotional learning (SEL).
Download White Paper in English (PDF)
Download White Paper in Spanish (PDF)

Current Research
Dr. Dorothy Espelage (University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign) and Dr. Todd Little (Texas Tech University) are conducting a randomized control trial, involving 108 classrooms across nine Illinois K-5 schools, to assess the impact of the Bullying Prevention Unit on bullying and peer victimization.
View All Research

Academic Standards
Find out how Second Step's Bullying Prevention Unit complements academic standards, frameworks, and practices, including Common Core and McREL.
See Chart (PDF)

Anti-Bullying Legislation
Learn how Second Step's Bullying Prevention Unit aligns with common anti-bullying laws, including those pertaining to school policies, professional development, parent education, and student education.
See Connections

Trauma-Informed Practices in Schools
See how Second Step supports trauma-informed practices to create a climate of social-emotional safety in schools.
See Chart (PDF)

Related Blog Posts

Keep families informed about classroom instruction and help them actively participate with online family resources.

Encourage family discussions and help students reinforce skills with these Take-Home Activities.

Sample Take-Home Activity (PDF)

See all our Bullying Prevention Unit products for Kindergarten through Grade 5

Buy Now

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Buy Now Training, lessons, and family resources developed to put research-based strategies in the hands of educators to create spaces safe for learning. Jump to research. Via online training, school staff learn to work with all students involved in bullying, including bystanders, for an improved school climate. Jump to staff training demo.

# data[].attributes.body
Hello, my name is Heather Morton. I am a professional school counselor at Blossom Elementary, completing my third year in this position, and have taught elementary for ten years. I received a Master of Science in Professional School Counseling from Angelo State University in 2021. I am working to complete the LPC Bridge program at Angelo State University by the end of the current school year. I plan to either work in private practice or as the Special Education LPC for our district. One professional goal is to provide individual counseling online through Telehealth. My goal is to travel to all 50 states before I am 50. We have traveled to 38 so far. I am 38, married for 20 years, with three children. They keep us hopping in the best possible way. We are huge Disney fans, and Disneyland is our favorite park.

I plan to learn the best crisis management plan for bullying during this course. I hope to learn techniques to help students and people experiencing trauma or crisis.

# data[].attributes.body
I enjoyed the assignment about accessing prior knowledge. It gave me an opportunity to think about what I already knew and what I would like to gain from this course. Mental health is a vast field with many elements that a counselor needs to understand. Learning how to reflect and remember the information and knowledge we have gained will help as we move forward into professional roles. There will be situations where we need pieces of what we have learned previously, and accessing that information by reflection is critical.

# data[].attributes.body
Professional values for counselors.

# data[].attributes.body
Where and how to report abuse resource.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Report Abuse

Call our Abuse Hotline toll-free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, nationwide, or report with our secure website and get a response within 24 hours.
We cannot accept email reports of suspected abuse or neglect.

Emergencies

Call your local law enforcement agency or 911 immediately if you have an emergency or life-threatening situation.
Got Questions About Reporting?
Need Help Reporting Abuse?

Call: 1-800-252-5400. If you can't use the Texas Abuse Hotline you can:

Report online at www.TxAbuseHotline.org

Use the relay service of your choice or use Relay Texas at 7-1-1. Tell the relay operator to call the Texas Abuse Hotline at (800) 252-5400.

The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) has a central place to report:

Child abuse and neglect.

Abuse, neglect, self-neglect, and exploitation of the elderly or adults with disabilities living at home.

Abuse of children in child-care facilities or treatment centers.

Abuse of adults and children who live in state facilities or are being helped by programs for people with mental illness or intellectual disabilities. These reports are investigated by HHSC Provider Investigations, not DFPS.

Anyone who has a reasonable cause to believe a child, or person 65 years or older, or an adult with disabilities is being abused, neglected, or exploited must report it to DFPS according to Texas laws.

A person who reports abuse in good faith is immune from civil or criminal liability. DFPS keeps the name of the person making the report confidential. Anyone who does not report suspected abuse can be held liable for a misdemeanor or felony.

Time frames for investigating reports are based on the severity of the allegations. Reporting suspected abuse makes it possible for a family to get help.

Recognizing Signs of Abuse

Legal Definitions of Abuse

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Call our Abuse Hotline toll-free 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, nationwide, or report with our secure website and get a response within 24 hours. We cannot accept email reports of suspected abuse or neglect. Call your local law enforcement agency or 911 immediately if you have an emergency or life-threatening situation.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mental Health First Aid USA - Mental Health First Aid

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Mental Health First Aid is a national program to teach the skills to respond to the signs of mental illness and substance use.

# data[].attributes.headline
Introduction and Assessing Prior Knowledge Artifact

# data[].attributes.subject
Introduction and Assessing Prior Knowledge Artifact

# data[].attributes.body
Introduction

Hello, my name is Heather Morton. I am a professional school counselor at Blossom Elementary, completing my third year in this position, and have taught elementary for ten years. I received a Master of Science in Professional School Counseling from Angelo State University in 2021. I am working to complete the LPC Bridge program at Angelo State University by the end of the current school year. I plan to either work in private practice or as the Special Education LPC for our district.

I plan to learn the best crisis management plan for bullying during this course. I hope to learn techniques to help students and people experiencing trauma or crisis.

Prior Knowledge

I believe that the graphic stating that more than 10 million adults have unmet needs for mental health treatment was a shocking statistic for me. I was aware that so often, people self-medicate for anxiety and depression with illegal drug use or alcohol. It was eye-opening to realize how high the number of people are with untreated mental illness.

I suffer from anxiety and have been treated for it for the past five years. I probably went untreated for 15 years before my diagnosis. Feeling out of control of your emotions is a struggle. I can empathize with others. I took the mental health anxiety quiz and scored severe anxiety 16 out of 21. It was not shocking to me because of the research I have done and my current diagnosis. I also took the “Channel Kindness Mental Health Quiz” and the “Deconstructing Stigma Mental Health Quiz”. Both were enlightening on statistics about mental health. I have had experience with family members battling depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. My 16-year-old daughter is currently being assessed for ADHD. We have always managed her symptoms with strategies that help individuals with ADHD. It is hard as a parent to know when or if it is the right time to medicate for different mental health concerns. Dealing with these things has allowed me to empathize and look at things differently. I believe that I am more likely to research and look for ways to help individuals who are struggling with different trauma or mental health diagnoses because of my personal experience.

This course will be an excellent way to compile helpful information about trauma and mental health for my future role as a Licensed Professional Counselor. I look forward to compiling the information into the padlet format. I enjoy how easy it is to access data from this website. This will benefit me in the future and help ensure I have quality resources.

The connection between childhood trauma and special education is a significant factor and essential to be aware of in the role of a special education counselor.

https://spark.bethel.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&context=etd

# data[].attributes.headline
Developmental Discussion on Trauma Reflection

# data[].attributes.subject
Developmental Discussion on Trauma Reflection

# data[].attributes.body
The assignment for Developmental Discussion on Trauma was beneficial for me personally and also for my future role. The facts about ACEs were extremely helpful. I always knew that trauma was a factor later in life, but to see the statistics and information about what effects are connected to adverse childhood experiences.

The three forms of trauma are abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction (Starecheski, 2015). Abuse can be considered physical, emotional, or sexual. Neglect categories include physical and emotional. Household dysfunction includes mental illness, incarcerated relatives, mothers treated violently, substance abuse, and divorce. In my experience, the abuse was emotional because I was humiliated by my father over my grades, behavior, and love for my mother. Neglect was both physical and emotional. We never had enough groceries in the house, or clothes were not clean, and I often witnessed my mother being abused physically. The household dysfunction category was extremely adverse in my experience. My mother and father both struggled with bipolar disorder; my father was arrested three times before I was 18, incarcerated for five years, and was released during my senior year of high school. My father was an alcoholic, and both of my parents were drug addicts. Their marriage ended in divorce around my fifth-grade year. My childhood could be considered traumatic. However, the positive things are not factored into the score, and I do think that makes a difference in the long-term effects of childhood trauma.

I also enjoyed watching the documentary and observing it from a counselor's perspective, making connections to ACEs. It was also neat to read classmates' information about their choice of documentary and the information they gathered. This was a helpful assignment.

Starecheski, L. (2015, March 2). Take the ACE quiz — and learn what it does and doesn't mean. NPR.https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/02/387007941/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean

# data[].attributes.headline
Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council and Texas State Board of Examiners of Professionals Counselors Rules

# data[].attributes.subject
Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council and Texas State Board of Examiners of Professionals Counselors Rules

# data[].attributes.body
Rules

# data[].attributes.headline
Reference Guid for Mental Health Disorders- Reflection

# data[].attributes.subject
Reference Guid for Mental Health Disorders- Reflection

# data[].attributes.body
The Reference Guide for Mental Health Disorders was time-consuming to complete. However, the end project and the knowledge I gained while assembling it were priceless. It gave me a more thorough understanding of different types of mental disorders and how they are broken down within each group. It also allowed me to compile a comprehensive list of resources to use and provide for future clients.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Child Mind Institute | Transforming Children’s Lives.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Child Mind Institute is an independent nonprofit dedicated to transforming the lives of children struggling with mental health and learning disorders.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
As part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), the Learning Center for Child and Adolescent Trauma offers Free Online Education with:

300+ FREE CE certificates

50+ speakers

200+ online webinars

90,000+ members

Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) are promising practices for disaster behavioral health response and recovery. Both PFA and SPR were developed by the National Center for PTSD and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, as well as other individuals involved in coordinating and participating in disaster response and recovery.

PFA and SPR intervention strategies are intended for use with children, adolescents, parents and caretakers, families, and adults who are survivors or witnesses exposed to disaster or terrorism. PFA and SPR can also be provided to first responders and other disaster relief workers.

While grounded in the same foundations of disaster response and recovery, there are several differences between PFA and SPR.

Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) are promising practices for disaster behavioral health response and recovery. Both PFA and SPR were developed by the National Center for PTSD and the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, as well as other individuals involved in coordinating and participating in disaster response and recovery.

PFA and SPR intervention strategies are intended for use with children, adolescents, parents and caretakers, families, and adults who are survivors or witnesses exposed to disaster or terrorism. PFA and SPR can also be provided to first responders and other disaster relief workers.

While grounded in the same foundations of disaster response and recovery, there are several differences between PFA and SPR.

Psychological First Aid (PFA) Online is 5-hour interactive online course that helps participants learn the core actions of PFA and describes ways to apply them in different post-disaster scenarios and with different survivor needs. This course also covers provider well-being before, during, and after disasters. This course is relevant for new providers who are wanting to be oriented to PFA, as well as for seasoned practitioners who want a review of the PFA concepts.
This 5-hour interactive online training offers certificate of completion with 5 CEs upon completion.

Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) is a 5-hour interactive course designed for providers to help survivors gain skills to manage distress and cope with post-disaster stress and adversity. This course is for individuals who want to learn about using SPR, learning the goals and rationale of each core skill, delivering SPR, and supporting survivors in the aftermath of a disaster or traumatic event.
This 5-hour interactive online training offers certificate of completion with 5 CEs upon completion.

Los Primeros Auxilios Psicológicos constituyen un enfoque modular basado en la evidencia y cuyo objetivo es ayudar a niños, adolescentes, adultos y familias a afrontar las consecuencias inmediatas de desastres o actos de terrorismo. En este curso en línea, Rosaura Orengo-Aguayo, PhD, ha adaptado el entrenamiento de PFA en un formato de 3 horas, en Español. Luego de ver este curso en línea, los participantes recibirán 3 créditos de educación continua.

Destrezas para la Recuperación Psicológica (SPR por sus siglas en inglés) es un curso de 3.5 horas diseñado para que los proveedores ayuden a los sobrevivientes a adquirir destrezas para manejar la angustia y afrontar el estrés y la adversidad luego de un desastre. Este curso es para personas que desean aprender sobre el uso de SPR, conocer los objetivos y la justificación para cada destreza básica, brindar SPR y brindar apoyo a los sobrevivientes después de un desastre o evento traumático. Luego de ver este curso en línea, los participantes recibirán 3.5 créditos de educación continua.

Skip Contact Us

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
learn: psychological first aid (pfa) and skills for psychological recovery (spr)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Learn: Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
As part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), the Learning Center for Child and Adolescent Trauma offers Free Online Education with: 300+ FREE CE certificates 50+ speakers 200+ online webinars 90,000+ members Psychological First Aid (PFA) and Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) are promising practices for disaster behavioral health response and recovery.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
DTAC resources provide helpful information to professionals in the disaster behavioral health field.

SAMHSA Disaster Behavioral Health Information Series (DBHIS)

The SAMHSA DBHIS contains resources and toolkits in disaster behavioral health. Resources focus on specific populations, disaster types, or other topics pertinent to disaster behavioral health preparedness, response, and recovery.

The Dialogue

The Dialogue is a quarterly electronic newsletter that provides practical and down-to-earth information for disaster behavioral health coordinators, local service providers, federal agencies, and nongovernmental organizations.

To volunteer to author an article for an upcoming issue, please email SAMHSA DTAC or call 1-800-308-3515.

The SAMHSA DTAC Bulletin is a monthly e-communication that is used to share updates in the field, post upcoming activities, and highlight new resources. If you would like to receive monthly communications or contribute an item for an upcoming issue, please email SAMHSA DTAC.

SAMHSA DTAC Supplemental Research Bulletin

The purpose of the SAMHSA DTAC Supplemental Research Bulletin is to provide practitioners, planners, and other responders a summary of the most recently published research and literature reviews. Each of the Supplemental Research Bulletins will highlight a number of chosen articles related to a specific topic of interest. To view the archived issues, please visit the SAMHSA DTAC Supplemental Research Bulletin Archive.

DTAC Tip Sheets

DTAC offers several tip sheets to help first responders and survivors after disasters and traumatic events. Spanish and Punjabi versions are also offered, when available:

For First Responders and Healthcare Professionals

For Survivors

Disaster Response Template Toolkit

The Disaster Response Template Toolkit features guidance and templates for disaster behavioral health programs. Materials are designed to help with program management and with making people aware of your program and its services, common disaster reactions, and coping strategies. Templates are provided for printed materials, as well as public service announcements and social media. To access the toolkit, visit the Disaster Response Template Toolkit home page.

DTAC Posters, Flyers, and a Wallet Card

DTAC offers several posters, flyers, and a wallet card to help educate survivors about disaster reactions.

Have You Experienced a Disaster? ( Spanish 2020)
Disaster survivors are not always aware of behaviors in themselves or others that are associated with adverse reactions to a disaster. This poster assists adult disaster survivors with identifying possible disaster reactions and provides resources to turn to for help.

Have You and Your Family Been Affected by a Disaster? ( Spanish 2020)
Parents and caregivers may not always understand and be able to identify behaviors in children and youth that are associated with adverse reactions to a disaster. This poster provides information on possible adverse reactions in children as well as where to get help.

Feeling Stressed or Anxious About the COVID-19 Pandemic? ( Spanish 2020)
This flyer provides information and tips for coping during a pandemic as well as resources for additional assistance.

Are You Working to Help People Affected by the COVID-19 Pandemic? ( Spanish 2020)
This flyer highlights key Psychological First Aid concepts and resources disaster responders and outreach workers may use when assisting individuals affected by the pandemic. It also provides resources for further assistance.

Tips for Managing Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic ( Spanish 2020)
This wallet card provides stress reduction tips and techniques as well as sources of additional assistance.

DTAC Guides

DTAC offers guides to assist outreach workers, disaster responders, and public officials during disasters.

Communicating in a Crisis: Risk Communication Guidelines for Public Officials
This guide provides public officials as well as others involved in disaster and emergency communications with information about effective communication, working with the media, using social media, and addressing errors and controlling rumors.

Helping Older Adults After Disasters: A Guide to Providing Support
Outreach workers often work with older adults after disasters. This guide will help prepare staff for encounters with this population by describing common disaster reactions and providing tips and resources.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
DTAC resources provide helpful information to professionals in the disaster behavioral health field.

# data[].attributes.headline
ABC Model of Crisis Intervention- Reflection

# data[].attributes.subject
ABC Model of Crisis Intervention- Reflection

# data[].attributes.body
This project allowed me to see how to document the facts of a client. It has different details and helps break the case into manageable pieces, making determining strategies to help a client easier. There are different techniques used for different areas of trauma that affect the child. It was a great way to get experience writing notes and collecting client data.

# data[].attributes.headline
Reference Guide for Mental Health Disorders Artifact

# data[].attributes.subject
Reference Guide for Mental Health Disorders Artifact

# data[].attributes.headline
Developmental Discussion on Trauma Artifact

# data[].attributes.subject
Developmental Discussion on Trauma Artifact

# data[].attributes.body
Discussion Post 1

Based on the information from Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs): Leveraging the Best Available Evidence and other scholarly articles, ACEs are a good representation of the population and are a valid concept. I took the ACE Quiz on the npr.org website and scored an eight based on my childhood experiences. ACEs are potentially traumatic experiences that occur in childhood (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019).

The three forms of trauma are abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction (Starecheski, 2015). Abuse can be considered physical, emotional, or sexual. Neglect categories include physical and emotional. Household dysfunction includes mental illness, incarcerated relatives, mothers treated violently, substance abuse, and divorce. In my experience, the abuse was emotional because I was humiliated by my father over my grades, behavior, and love for my mother. Neglect was both physical and emotional. We never had enough groceries in the house, or clothes were not clean, and I often witnessed my mother being abused physically. The household dysfunction category was extremely adverse in my experience. My mother and father both struggled with bipolar disorder; my father was arrested three times before I was 18, incarcerated for five years, and was released during my senior year of high school. My father was an alcoholic, and both of my parents were drug addicts. Their marriage ended in divorce around my fifth-grade year. My childhood could be considered traumatic. However, the positive things are not factored into the score, and I do think that makes a difference in the long-term effects of childhood trauma.

Children are especially susceptible to trauma because they are dependent on adults to meet their basic needs. Suppose the basic needs are not being met and abuse is happening while their brains are still developing. In that case, it can have a lasting effect on brain development and the ability to cope with adversity later in life. Goddard states, "The trauma-informed care approach includes the realization of how ACEs affect health, the recognition of pediatric clinical symptom presentation and screening protocols for ACEs, and the health care provider's ability to respond and not re-traumatize patients when delivering evidence-based care." (Goodard, 2021).

It should be mandatory for all health professionals to receive education on the effects of trauma and how to assess it. It is essential in my role as a professional school counselor and future LPC because many people are not aware of how trauma can affect them later in life and need resources to help cope with their trauma. Trauma is prevalent in all aspects of counseling. Being able to identify and help provide a toolkit of ways to cope is essential as a counselor.

References

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2019). Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences: Leveraging the Best Available Evidence. Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Goddard A. (2021). Adverse Childhood Experiences and Trauma-Informed Care. Journal of pediatric health care : official publication of National Association of Pediatric Nurse Associates & Practitioners, 35(2), 145–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedhc.2020.09.001

Starecheski, L. (2015, March 2). Take the ACE quiz — and learn what it does and doesn’t mean. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/02/387007941/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean

# data[].attributes.headline
ABC Model of Crisis Intervention- Artifact

# data[].attributes.subject
ABC Model of Crisis Intervention- Artifact

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A simple model of crisis intervention is the ABC Model. A number of crisis intervention models use this same three step process. Essentially, it involves establishing a relationship (A), understanding the problem (B), and taking action (C).

This model uses Achieving Rapport, Boiling down the Problem and Contracting for Action. You can see a video of this post here.

Brief History of the ABC Model

In the 1980s, the Alberta Model was designed by a team of suicidologists who were responding to a spike in the suicide rate caused by a bottoming out in the economy. In addition to developing the CPR Risk Assessment they also developed the ABC Model of Crisis Intervention dictated below.

Achieving rapport describes the emotional and physical aspects used to establish a connection with the suicidal person you're working with. This involved physical safety, emotional connection and good rapport.

Physical ways that you can establish rapport include:

Ensuring there is no obstacles between yourself and the suicidal person (e.g. chairs, tables); rapport is improved when there is nothing between you

Solid eye contact; when you look at someone rather than looking away it establishes that you're able to talk openly about suicide

Orienting your body towards someone; this is a subconscious cue that you think positively of that person

Keeping your arms uncrossed and legs open; Crossed-arms and legs pressed together are signs of anxiety or dislike

Emotionally, you can establish safety and comfort through the following:

Validate what the person is saying.

Use empathy statements, which are statements that highlight an emotion while responding. For instance, if someone says that they've had a fight with their wife, and that it keeps happening you might say "It sounds like you're feeling really frustrated." This captures the emotion underlying the experience and is an important part of helping someone feel understood.

Use a calm, even voice-tone - don't speak too quickly and don't cut off the other person

Avoid judgement such as "why" questions. Instead ask "How come?"

When rapport is established, the suicidal person will be comfortable and able to express themselves.

Boiling Down the Problem

The next step in the ABC Model of Crisis Intervention is boiling down the problem. This involves a careful mix of open and closed questions to make sure that you fully understand what is making the person suicidal. You can start by asking them what they think is the source of their suicidal pain.

Suicidal thoughts are often the result of events that overwhelm a person's personal coping methods. These methods can be different for every person and so it is unwise to assume that something isn't an issue for the suicidal person unless you've spoken to them about it.

For example, a student who has never failed a test before could become suicidal over a perceived threat to their Ivy League college hopes based on failing a test, while another student may have had many ups and downs and therefore has learned to cope with this loss.

Contracting for Action

When you feel that you have a good understanding of the suicidal person's problems, it's important to work with them to implement some long-term changes. If you think back to the CPR Model, we need to assess whether the person is Low Risk, Medium Risk or High Risk.

Contracting for action means developing plans with the client that they can do within the next 24 hours (or another short period) in order to ensure their safety.

When the suicidal person is low risk, your role should be to help with any practical referrals and building up their support network. For instance, someone who is having financial issues, referral to debt counselling would be helpful. Exploring the person's resources to see if there are those they can rely on who they may not be seeing will also be helpful.

Emotional support is most important at this stage so that the person feels comfortable expressing themselves without feeling judged or stigmatized.

When the suicidal person is medium risk, it's important to work collaboratively. Getting the suicidal person to agree to more comprehensive support will be easier if they know that you care. Taking steps to reduce risk by encouraging the person to remove access to suicide methods is also important.

Ensure that you follow up with the person to make certain that they've taken advantage of the referrals. By checking in with them frequently and continuing to assess their suicide risk (even on a simple 1-10 scale) will help you tell if their suicidal risk is being reduced.

When the suicidal person is high risk, it's important to take immediate steps to reduce that risk. You should be directive with the person, taking immediate steps to guarantee their safety. This will involve checking for suicide attempts in progress, referrals that you make with the suicidal person and possible hospitalization if they don't think they can remain safe throughout the night.

In order to assess for immediate risk, you should ask questions like, "Are you in danger?", "Have you taken anything tonight?", "Have you done anything tonight to hurt or kill yourself?" If the person admits that yes, they have, than it's important to get details and make the call to 911 if necessary.

If not, you should explore what they can do to ensure their safety. This may involve calling a crisis line if they don't feel safe, calling 911 or going to a hospital emergency room or staying with you (or someone else they can rely on) to keep them safe.

Further Reading

The book Crisis Intervention Strategies, 7th Edition provides a review of the ABC Model of Crisis Intervention and other basic and advanced crisis intervention skills. I also provide a number of crisis intervention articles in this area.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
ABC Model of Crisis Intervention - Dustin K MacDonald

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Updated for 2018! See below. A simple model of crisis intervention is the ABC Model. A number of crisis intervention models use this same three step process. Essentially, it involves establishing a relationship (A), understanding the problem (B), and taking action (C). This model uses Achieving Rapport, Boiling down the Problem and Contracting for Action....