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Your Brain on

Trauma Presented by:

Jane Robinson, LMHC, RPT-S, Founder Clarissa DeWitt, LMHC, RPT, Clinical Director

•  ToxicstressisaMEDIATORbetweenearlychildhoodadversityandlessthanop<maloutcomesinlearning,behaviorandhealththatspanalife<me

• UnderstandingtheunderlyingBIOLOGYsupportsthestrongneedforpreven&onandearlyinterven&oninpolicy

TheBIGWHY!!!!

ToxicStressandTrauma

It’snotthetraumaticeventitself,buthowthestress

responsesystemreactsthatdeterminestheimpact.

Impact is greater and longer lasting with young children because of their developing state

• Collabora<onbetweentheCentersforDiseaseControlandPreven<onandKaiserPermanente

•  Dr.RobertAnda(CDC)andDr.VincentFeliO(KaiserPermanente)

•  Ini<alphase1995-1997• Spawnedover70scien<ficar<cles

• Replicatedinover32states

AdverseChildhoodExperienceStudy

ACESs&BrainDevelopmentOverallPicture

Cri<cal&Sensi<ve

DevelopmentalPeriod

Gene&csExperiencestriggergeneexpression

BrainDevelopmentElectrical,Chemical,

CellularMass

AdverseChildhoodExperiencesMorecategoriesgreaterimpact

Adap<onHardwiredinto

biology

Contributestochallengesacrossthelifespan

©Center for Child Counseling, Inc

DevelopmentisaDanceBetweenNurtureandNature

Experiences

BehaviorandDevelopment

Epigene<cChanges

BrainDevelopment

Protective vs Insecure

Adaptive vs Maladaptive Coping Skills

Which genes are turned on/off, when, and where

Alterations in structure and function

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First1000DaysAreCrucial

• Bornwith100billionneurons-Con<nuousprocessofformingnewconnec<on/pruning

• Eightypercentofbraingrowthoccursinfirst3years

• Braindevelopsinthecontextofit’senvironment

Relationships are the active ingredient that sets the foundation

• Babies are not born with the ability to regulate emotions.

• Regulatory system develops when the baby’s signals are understood and responded to by the caregiver – serve and return*.

Development is Relationship Dependent

ExperiencesBuildBrains TheFoundation:BrainArchitecture

Genesandexperienceworktogethertoconstructbrainarchitecture.

Inthe;irstfewyearsoflife,700to1,000newneuralconnectionsformeverysecond.

StressImpactsBrainDevelopment BrainDevelopmentHierarchical

AbstractThoughtProblemSolving

Affilia<on/Socializa<on“Aaachment”

MemoryEmo<onalReac<vity

MotorControl“Arousal”

Appe<te/Sa<etySleep-WakeCycleBloodPressure

HeartRate/BreathingBodyTemperature

Cortical

Limbic

Midbrain

Brainstem

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StressDerailsDeveopment

EarlyChildhoodStress

ChronicFightorFlightresponse

ChangeinBrainArchitecture

Hyper-responsive

stressresponse

Neural connections are weaker and fewer

Impedes adaptive coping mechanisms and ability to calm

Increase in cortisol and norepinephrine

ToxicStressandtheDevelopingBrain

SurvivalTrumpsLearning

Executive Center – Handles logic, empathy, compassion, creativity, self-regulation and self awareness, sequential thought, planning, problem-solving and attention

Emotional Center – Processes memory, emotions, response to stress, nurturing, caring, separation anxiety, fear, rage, social bonding and hormone control

Survival Center – Regulates autonomic functions, breathing, digestion, heart rate, sleep, hunger, instinctual behaviors, functions that sustain life including flight flight freeze response

DisruptedNeurodevelopment

DynamicBrainChangesDuringStress

©Center for Child Counseling, Inc

Chronic/ToxicStress

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Academics Maltreatment MentalHealth Addic<ons Disease Crime

RootofaMultitudeofSocietalProblems

Early Adverse Experiences

•  Thegoodnewsistheplas<cityofthebrain,andthebodywantstoheal.

•  Thebrainiscon<nuallychanginginresponsetotheenvironment.

•  Ifthetoxicstressstopsandisreplacedbyprac<cesthatbuildresilience,thebraincanslowlyundomanyofthestress-inducedchanges.

WhatCanWeDo?

• TraumaInformedCommuni<es

• Fosternurturingandresponsiverela<onships

• Assessableevidencebasedtraumaassessmentandinterven<onstosupport

HealthyRelationshipsBuffertheImpact ACEsAwareandTraumaInformed

SHIFT IN THINKING FROM “What’s wrong with you?”

“It’s easier to build strong children than repair broken men” ~ Fredrick Douglas

TO “What happened to you?”

OurChallenge

Translatewhatweknowin

neuroscienceandtheimpactof

ACEs..

..intoeffec<vepoliciesandprac<cesforfamiliesw/childrento

..improveeduca<on,healthandlifelong

produc<vity

Childrenandfamiliesthat

haveexperienced

trauma

TraumaInformedSchools

TraumaInformedJus<ceSystems

TraumaInformedCommuni<es

TraumaInformedMedicine

TraumaLensAcrossOurCommunity

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THANKYOU!

TolearnaboutCenterforChildCounseling’sACEsworkinPalmBeachCounty,visit:www.centerforchildcounseling.org/figh<ngacesWatchPalmBeachCountyleadersdiscussingtheimportanceofthisissue:hap://bit.ly/PBCACEJoinintheconversa<onat:www.facebook.com/centerforchildcounselingGetOnlineTraininginPlayTherapyandACEswithWeLearnPlay:hap://www.centerforchildcounseling.org/welearnplay/Formoreinforma<on,email:info@centerforchildcounseling.org