Power Point: How Trauma Affects Learning

Trauma and its effects on student learning Karen Carnabucci, MSS, LCSW, TEP Lake House Health & Learning Center Racine, Wisconsin

About myself ■ ■ ■ ■

Karen Carnabucci, MSS, LCSW, TEP Licensed clinical social worker Psychodramatist Psychotherapist, trainer and consultant in trauma, addiction and other therapeutic issues.

What is trauma? Experiences outside of the range of human experience that have a lifechanging impact on the person. Healing is possible.

More… The person experienced, witnessed or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury or a threat to the integrity of self or others. Response involved intense fear, helplessness or horror.

Examples of trauma ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Car accident or other severe accident Alcoholism or mental illness in family Physical abuse and/or sexual abuse Observing abuse, violence and severe injury Kidnapping Crime Torture, war, terrorism Immigration Natural catastrophe (earthquake, fire, tornado, etc.) Significant loss And more…

L eft

Logic Words Thinking Planning Understanding Processing of information Consequences Consciousness Meaning-making

R ight Imagination Emotions Creativity Music Sound Movement Sensations Experience Art Receptivity Body Images Smells Sounds Urges

How trauma lives in us ■

Regular and intrusive recollections of the event, including images, thoughts or perceptions.

In young children – repetitive play may occur in which themes or aspects of the trauma are expressed. There is often disorganized or agitated behavior.

How trauma lives in us ■

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Recurring dreams that are upsetting. Acting or feeling as if the trauma were happening again. Intense distress at exposure to internal or external cues related to the trauma.

How trauma lives in us ■

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Efforts to avoid reminders of the trauma. Difficulty remembering parts of the trauma. Feelings of isolation, detachment from others. Unable to have a range of feelings (always sad, always angry).

How trauma lives in us ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■

Low expectations Difficulty sleeping Difficultly concentrating Hyper vigilance Startles easily Causing distress in areas of functioning, including school

L eft Thinking is difficult

Can’t concentrate on studies Easily distracted Difficulty communicating

R ight

Easily triggered to anger Spacing out

Isolated from others Feeling different from others

To heal… ■ ■

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Know realities of trauma. Help right brain and left brain integrate. Know and use the value of the creative arts for self expression. Positive visual images can replace painful ones. Help student integrate his or her strengths.

Strengths Personal (courage, intelligence, etc.) ■ Relational (positive relationships with others) ■ Spiritual (a good higher power) ■

With right and left brains are communicating with each other, we have an integrated person, using all of the parts of the brain.

Be aware… ■

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High-achieving child may also struggle with trauma and not show it. AODA education and prevention important. Mentoring with adults who care is important.

Don’t forget… ■ ■ ■

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Have awareness. Be careful with touch. Know resources and refer child and family as necessary. Build in components in school system. Practice self care.

Karen Carnabucci, MSS, LCSW, TEP Lake House Health & Learning Center 932 Lake Ave. Racine, WI 53403 (262) 633-2645 www.lakehousecenter.com [email protected]