The November Childhood Trauma Newsletter - Free Event w/ Dr. Bruce Perry

Welcome to the November 2022 edition of the Childhood Trauma Newsletter created by BethTyson Trauma Consulting.

What's inside?

• Free registration link to meet Dr. Bruce Perry on 11/30
• Episode two of the Connections Matter Academy
• New guest blog on my website: Treating PTSD for Children of Divorce
• Trauma Champion of the Month - Maryann McEvoy, M.Ed

Change is here for children with traumatic pasts and I'm so excited and honored to be a part of it. Just like the lowly caterpillar has to turn to mush before becoming a brilliant flying butterfly, so do humans need to go through difficult phases to reach their highest potential. The last few years have been mush for a lot of us... But, now it's time to fly!

News & Updates from Beth

This month I was selected as the co-chair for Pennsylvania's Child Abuse Prevention Action Team In collaboration with #HealPA. Our goal is lofty. We want to make PA trauma-responsive and healing-centered. All of it. Every sector. Every system. Every institution. It's a big challenge, but we're ready for it! It's time.

I would love for you to get involved to prevent and heal childhood trauma by joining us at the free Dr. Bruce Perry event below.

But first, shameless self-promotion... I published a therapeutic children's book for kinship and foster families called A Grandfamily for Sullivan. You can learn more here if you are interested.

Dr. Bruce Perry Event

On November 30th from 12 - 1 pm ET I will be speaking on a panel hosted by HealPA with my brain crush and trauma pioneer, Dr. Bruce Perry! Dr. Perry is the Co-author of What Happened to You, with Oprah. No, I'm not dreaming. This is actually happening. You can learn more about the event and register for free here.

Ten years ago I made a list of future goals I wanted to achieve, and one by one they are starting to become a reality. Meeting Dr. Perry is one of the highlights of my career, and I hope you will share this moment with me.

November Trauma Tips

Check out the latest article on my website on how to help children cope with the trauma of divorce, written by guest author Ellen Margot Dwayne. We share about the events that are likely to cause trauma during a divorce, and what we can do to mitigate the impact of divorce on children.

Trauma Resource of the Month

The Connections Matter Academy - a free animated series of videos to help children impacted by trauma. In case you missed my email last week, you can learn more about how and why we created it HERE.

Episode two of the Connections Matter Academy was released yesterday. This latest video is on basic human needs, and why connections matter. Please like, comment, share, and subscribe to help these videos reach the children who need them most!

Trauma Champion of the Month

Maryann McEvoy, M.Ed.

Maryann has spent the entirety of her career advocating for vulnerable populations, specifically in the areas of educational access for women and children. She brings this knowledge to the Commonwealth as the Acting Executive Director of the Office of Advocacy and Reform, as well as Child Advocate for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Maryann has held leadership roles in various public and private organizations dedicated to protecting the rights of people with disabilities. Her work experience spans boundaries, not just institutional but geographic, including experience in developing countries focused on the protection and empowerment of children in emergency contexts.

Maryann is also the leader of HealPA, an initiative to make the entire state of PA trauma-informed and healing-centered. You can follow her on LinkedIn where she shares valuable information, events, and resources on child advocacy.

Here is a statement from Maryann upon finding out she was chosen as my Trauma Champion for November:

"I can’t express how honored I am to be recognized as your Trauma Champion for November, a month when we are all expressing gratitude while also recognizing the traumatic history of our nation’s origins. This month, and always, I feel proud to be one small part of this movement to prevent trauma and build a safer, more empowering future for all our children-no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religious beliefs. As Pennsylvania’s Child Advocate, I do this work for us all, the children of our past who are now having to heal as adults, the children of our present who struggle with mental health, violence in their schools and communities, and a lack of social supports, and for the children of our future who deserve and must inherit a more peaceful and just world. We do this work for each other, and I am so very grateful for all of you who are part of this movement to help Heal PA!"

On a personal note...

This month has been a really good one for me and I'm trying to soak it in instead of waiting for the other shoe to drop, like I normally do. My daughter is getting adjusted to being in school full time and although it's been a struggle some days, we seem to have found a routine that works. It includes dropping her off at the classroom door to put her back pack away, coming back outside to hug me for two minutes (with a timer set), and then when the timer goes off she gets a hug from her teacher as I walk away. At the end of last school year she found out about the school shooting in Uvalde (deep condolences to those families), and she's been struggling with anxiety about guns and safety ever since. Thankfully she seems to be turning a corner with it now. She even negotiated three hugs a day with her teacher, which was resourceful of her!

If you experience a moment, day, or week that feels good in your bones, remember to slow down and savor the positive feelings. Honoring our positive experiences is just as important as expressing our uncomfortable feelings. These are the glimmers we need to acknowledge to keep us going. What glimmers can you notice in yourself and your children this month? Tell them when you feel good, and point out to them when they are feeling good. This builds emotional intelligence.

Thank you for your continued dedication to learning about childhood trauma by reading this newsletter each month. If you find it to be helpful to you please consider sharing it with your network. If you haven't already subscribed to this newsletter, you do so HERE.

We have over 4,000 members in my private Facebook community, Emotiminds. Please join us to continue learning about childhood trauma!

If you like this newsletter you might also like these other articles by me:

Traumatic memories in early childhood and how to help children cope

How to talk to children about school shootings

Why transitions are tough for children with trauma and what to do about it