President's Letter: A Challenge on Trauma

In 2008, research from The National Child Traumatic Stress Network indicated that one out of four children attending school has been exposed to a traumatic event that can affect learning and/or behavior. Fast forward to today with a society that has been practically functioning in a state of uncertainty and trauma for the past two years. While I do not have the latest research, I am confident the number of children attending school exposed to a traumatic event has doubled since 2008. With schools being a second home for many students, the question becomes: How can we work together to address the issues of trauma and the implications we are experiencing?

According to the Treatment and Services Adaptation Center, the term trauma-informed school refers to an environment where “the adults in the school community are prepared to recognize and respond to who have been impacted by traumatic stress. Those adults include administrators, teachers, staff, and parents.” Sounds good, right? But what does this level of trauma-informed practices really mean and look like?
As school counselors and change agents, we must understand not just the definition of trauma-informed schools but also what this looks like in practice. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has established the following guidelines and principles for trauma-informed care:

1. Safety
2. Trustworthiness and transparency
3. Peer support and mutual self-help
4. Collaboration and mutuality
5. Empowerment, voice and choice
6. Consideration, recognition and provision for cultural, historical and gender issues

My challenge for you is to evaluate your school environment based on these core values – first as a student and then as a staff member. In what areas does your school show up when aligning to these core values? Are there some opportunities for your school to grow in some of these areas? From there, share your findings with your colleagues and school-wide teams, whether it is your schools’ Student Support Services team or Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) team. Although we may not have all the answers as school counselors, we know we are better together, and a districtwide approach is going to be the best way to make a difference for all our students.

Contact Brittany Norman, NCSCA president, at president@ncschoolcounselor.org.