What Helps Kids & Teens Overcome Trauma? The Resilience Equation for Young People

About:

Research on adverse childhood experiences, or ACEs, and polyvictimization reveals that young people endure far more trauma than previously understood. Studies show that 70-80% of youth face significant adversities at home, in school, or in their communities. This trauma contributes to the body's "wear and tear," causing serious damage to children's developing systems, which can lead to elevated rates of serious diseases later in life. While this paints a grim picture, there is hope.

We now recognize that positive childhood experiences, along with other assets and resources, can counteract the harmful effects of trauma. Children can overcome even high levels of trauma. Early research incorrectly viewed resilient children as possessing some special "invulnerability," but we now know that overcoming trauma is a complex, multidimensional process. Support from family, teachers, and others, as well as healthy environments that include contact with nature, are crucial. Additionally, children contribute their own strengths. Even at a young age, they can benefit from identity development, finding a sense of purpose, cultivating a growth mindset, and developing skills in emotional regulation and impulse control.

This talk introduces the resilience portfolio model, which highlights various pathways to healing for youth exposed to trauma. It will also cover evidence-based practices that help strengthen resilience in children and adolescents. Exciting research now shows that positive experiences can outweigh the negative. This is the resilience equation.

Learning Objectives:

1. Participants will be able to articulate the four domains of resilience portfolios that help children and youth overcome trauma.
2. Participants will be able to describe how positive childhood experiences and other assets and resources can counter the effects of trauma.
3. Participants will be able to identify at least 3 evidence-based practices for overcoming trauma that are appropriate for using with children and adolescents.