Publications - Trauma and Resiliency

Talking to Children About the Bombings, by The National Child Traumatic Stress Network, Apr 16 2013.

“The recent bombings evoke many emotions—shock, fear, anger, helplessness, anxiety, grief, and sadness. Children struggling with their thoughts and feelings about the stories and images of the bombings will turn to adults for comfort and answers. Children need to hear that their parents/caregivers will keep them safe. ”

How Terror Hijacks the Brain, by Maia Szalavitz, Time Magazine , Apr 16 2013.

“"When people are terrorized, the smartest parts of our brain tend to shut down" says Dr. Bruce Perry, Senior Fellow of the ChildTrauma Academy. (Disclosure: he and I have written books together). When the brain is under severe threat, it immediately changes the way it processes information, and starts to prioritize rapid responses. ”

How Disasters and Trauma Can Affect Children's Empathy, by Maia Szalavitz, Time , Jan 22 2013.

“Do children become more kind and empathetic after a disaster-- or does the experience make them more focus more on self-preservation? The first study to examine the question in an experimental way shows that children's reactions may depend on their age. The ability to study the altruistic and empathetic tendencies of youth before and after a natural disaster emerged after an earthquake struck in May 2008 in Mianyang, China. Scientists from the U.S. and Canada were already collaborating with Chinese researchers in the town in Sichuan province on a study of altruistic behavior when the earthquake, which measured 8.0 on the Richter scale, killed some 87,000 people, including many children. ”

Healing Days: A Guide for Kids Who Have Experienced Trauma, by Susan Farber Straus, 2013.

Spilled Milk: Based On A True Story, by Randis, K.L., 2013.

“ Brooke Nolan is a battered child who makes an anonymous phone call about the escalating brutality in her home. When social services jeopardize her safety condemning her to keep her father's secret, it's a glass of spilled milk at the dinner table that forces her to speak about the cruelty she's been hiding. In her pursuit for safety and justice Brooke battles a broken system that pushes to keep her father in the home. When jury members and a love interest congregate to inspire her to fight, she risks losing the support of family and comes to the realization that some people simply do not want to be saved. Spilled Milk is a novel of shocking narrative, triumph and resiliency. ”

How PTSD and Addiction Can Be Safely Treated Together, by Maia Szalavitz, Time , Aug 15 2012.

“The vast majority of people with addiction have suffered significant previous trauma, and many people who struggle with addiction suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) simultaneously. But the treatment of these patients has posed a conundrum: experts have believed that PTSD treatment should not begin until the addicted person achieves lasting abstinence, because of the risk that PTSD treatment may trigger relapse, yet addicted people with untreated PTSD are rarely able to abstain for long. ”

Exposure to Violence Has Long-Term Stress Effects Among Adolescents, by ScienceDaily, ScienceDaily, Jul 3 2012.

“Children who are exposed to community violence continue to exhibit a physical stress response up to a year after the exposure, suggesting that exposure to violence may have long-term negative health consequences, according researchers at Penn State and University College London. ”

A Brief Therapy Heals Trauma in Children, by Jane Brody, New York Times , Apr 2 2012.

“A report describes a remarkably effective brief intervention developed at the Childhood Violent Trauma Center at Yale University greatly diminishes symptoms in traumatized children and those who care for them. ”

Imaging Study Shows How Family Violence Changes Brain Activity, by Rick Nauert, Psych Central, Dec 6 2011.

“Family violence appears to increase a child's sensitivity to detect potential additional threats, as researchers found brain changes are analogous to those found in soldiers exposed to combat. ”

Victims of Racism May Cause Symptoms Similar to Trauma, by Janice Wood, Psych Central , Nov 17 2011.

“For black American adults, perceived racism may cause mental health symptoms similar to trauma and could lead to some physical health disparities between blacks and other populations in the United States, according to a new study. ”

Minimal Training Aids in Response to Trauma, by Traci Pedersen, Psych Central, Mar 31 2011.

“Even a small amount of training can teach people how to be more supportive when a friend or loved one confides in them a traumatic event or other type of mistreatment, suggests new research from the University of Oregon. ”

Building Resilience in Our Children, by Robin Gurwitch and National Center for School Crisis and Bereavement, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences, 2011.

“Resilience can be built at any time. It can help in the aftermath of a crisis and it can help children face adversities that they may encounter in the future. There are factors and actions which can increase the resilience of our children and our own resilience. ”

Following Traumatic Event, Early Intervention Reduces Odds of PTSD in Children, by Penn Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine , Sep 28 2010.

“A new approach that helps improve communication between child and caregiver, such as recognizing and managing traumatic stress symptoms and teach coping skills, was able to prevent chronic and sub-clinical PTSD in 73 percent of children. ”

In Haiti, Mental Health System Is in Collapse, by Deborah Sontag, New York Times, Mar 19 2010.

“Haiti's earthquake has exposed the inadequacies of its mental health services at the moment they are most needed. ”

All Souls: A Family Story from Southie, by M. MacDonald, 2010.