Improving Mental Health Outcomes for Children with Trauma and Their Caregivers
Mental health is important for all of us, but especially for children who have experienced adversity, as well as the adults who care for them. Trauma can be triggered by even the most mundane of situations, setting off dysregulation in the brain. Being constantly in this state over time can lead to worse mental health outcomes, including depression, anxiety, feelings of worthlessness, and suicidal thoughts or attempts. Watching your child go through this can also be emotionally taxing for their caregivers. But in order to heal from trauma, both child and caregiver need to focus on improving mental health!
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at four ways those with trauma, or their caregivers, can improve their mental health.
1 | Therapy
Trauma informed therapy is an important part of the healing journey for children with trauma. It offers a safe space for kids to explore their feelings, learn what triggers them, and allows them to recognize that their feelings are valid, and that what happened to them is not their fault. It can also be a place to learn helpful coping mechanisms, which we’ll look at more in a minute.
But parents and caregivers shouldn’t skimp on therapy either, especially when you are new to this experience. Working with your child to help guide them is both mentally and physically exhausting. It can be disheartening to watch them suffer, frustrating when they lash out, and tiring when it feels like it happens all the time. Therapy can be a good place for you to unleash your feelings in a non-judgmental space. This will prevent you from getting frustrated and lashing back at your child when they are dysregulated. When you are feeling your best, you are better able to help care for and guide your child on their healing journey!
2 | Self-Care
Having a self-care regimen gives us time to be in the moment and to focus on our own needs. Whether you are a person who has experienced trauma or a loved one of a child with trauma, self-care can provide you time to promote relaxation and stress reduction. Self-care can look like a variety of things, from journaling, to exercise, to hot bubble baths, a massage, or even a date with friends at the movies. It should be something that you enjoy and find relaxing or that brings you joy. Whatever you decide to do, stick to it. Habits are easier to keep when you schedule your self-care time into your calendar!
3 | Focus on Healthy, Positive, Safe Relationships
For children with trauma, nothing is more important than cultivating positive, safe relationships. Trauma, by its very nature, is about broken trust with an adult or adults in their life. Caregivers of children with trauma must focus on helping their child feel safe, loved, understood, and validated. By building a trusting and positive relationship with your child, you can help them to feel less anxious and happier. This also gives them the space and freedom to work through their trauma and heal.
Caregivers should also focus on building their own support network. Surrounding yourself with trusted friends and family, religious leaders, a therapist, experts in childhood trauma, and fellow parents of children with trauma can all provide a supportive space for you to talk about what you are going through and questions you may have. It is important that those in your support network can listen without judgment and offer emotional validation.
4 | Learn Coping Mechanisms
We can all get dysregulated from time to time, whether we have experienced trauma or not. Developing healthy coping mechanisms allows us to move out of the fight or flight mode of the lower brain and into higher regions of the brain that deal with reasoning. Here are just a few coping mechanisms you or your child can try:
- Fidget spinners or sensory toys
- Deep breathing
- Working on a puzzle
- Coloring
- Listening to calming music
- Exercising, taking a walk, or dancing
- Using physical sensations such as rocking or swaying back and forth
- Drinking water
- Naming emotions you are currently experiencing
Final Thoughts
Never ignore your mental health or put it on the back burner. Remember that everyone is unique and not every technique to improve mental health will work for every single person. It’s important to find what works for you, so don’t be afraid to swap out a technique when you find one that isn’t working. Over time, you’ll find that caring for your mental health or that of your child’s will become easier, almost like second nature. When our mental health is better, we are better able to heal from past trauma, or are better able to help others heal from trauma!
