*

Susan Simmons, CTSTexas Counseling Association

60th Annual Professional Growth ConferenceNovember 3, 2016

Dallas, TX

Building Bearcats!

*

Table 1January 21, 1958 19 year old Charles Starkweather and 14 year old Caril Fugate (female) in

a weekend spree across Wyoming and Nebraska shot, stabbed and strangled to death 11 people.

August 1, 1966 Charles Whitman killed 14 people at the University of TexasJuly 12, 1976 Custodian, Edward Allaway shot and killed seven people at the California

State University, Fullerton.January 29, 1979 16 year old Brenda Spencer shot and killed a janitor, the principal and

woulded eight students at a San Diego elementary school.July 18, 1984 James Huberty entered a McDonald’s restaurant and fatally shot 21

people, including five children in San Ysidro, California.January 17, 1989 Patrick Purdy shot and killed five children and wounded 29 more at

Cleveland Elementary School.May 1, 1992 A 23 year old and former student returned to his school in Sacramento,

California, angry and despondent. He walked in the front door with two ammunition belts crisscrossed his chest. He carried a sawed-off shotgun. One staff person, his former history teacher was shot and killed point blank in front of his students. Three students were killed and ten wounded before he took another 60 hostages.

December 1, 1997 Three students were killed and 5 wounded in Paducah, Kentucky.

March 24, 1998 Four girls and a teacher were shot to death and 10 others wounded during a false fire alarm at Westside Middle School in Jonesboro, Arkansas when two boys, ages 11 and 13, open fire from the woods.

http://www.brad-blog.com/?p=9781

Table 2March 21, 2005 Red Lake Reservation killing of five students and two adults.October 2, 2006 Five young girls, ages six through 13 were shot and killed at an Amish schoolhouse.April 16, 2007 The all time deadliest school shooting in US history took place when Virginia Tech University students

Seung Hui Cho, shot up the campus killing 32 people.March 10, 2009 A 29 year old laid off worker opened fire while driving a car through several towns in Alabama, killing 10

people.March 29, 2009 A heavily armed gunman shot dead eight people, many of them elderly and sick people, in a private

owned nursing home in North Carolina.March 30, 2009 Six people were shot dead in a high grade apartment building in Santa Clara, California.April 3, 2009 A man shot dead 13 people at a civic center in Binghampton, New York.July 23, 2009 Six people, including one student, were shot and killed in a drive by shooting at a community rally on the

campus of Texas Southern University, Houston.November 5, 2009 U.S. army psychologist Major Nidal Hasan opened fire at a military base in Fort Hood, Texas, leaving 13

dead and 42 others wounded.January 8, 2011 A gunman opened fire at a public gathering outside a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona, killing six people

including a nine year old girl and wounding at least 12 others. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was severely injured with a gunshot to the head.

February, 27, 2012 17 year old T. J. Lane fired 10 shots at a group of students in the cafeteria high school in Chardon, Ohio where three students were killed.

July 20, 2012 A masked gunman kills 12 people and wounded 58 when he opens fire on moviegoers at a showing of the Batman file “The Dark Knight Rises” in Aurora, a suburb of Denver, Colorado.

August 5, 2012 A gunman kills six people during Sunday services at a Sikh temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin, before he is shot dead by a police officer.

August 24, 2012 Two people are killed and eight wounded in a shotting outside the landmark Empire State Building in New York City at the height of the tourist season.

September 27, 2012 A disgruntled former employee kills five people and takes his own life in a shooting rampage at a Minneapolis sign company from which he had been fired.

October 27, 2012 Three people are killed in a Milwaukee area spa including the estranged wife of the suspected gunman, who then killed himself.

December 14, 2012 Adam Lanza fatally shot twenty children and six adult staff members at Sandy Hook Elementary School.January 25, 2013 Three adults are wounded on the Lone Starr College Campus in Texas.January 29, 2013 A gunman I Alabama shoots and kills a school bus driver and then takes a five year old child hostage. The

child was held hostage in a bunker with his killer for almost a week before the FBI were able to storm the bunker, kill the hostage taker and save the boy.

http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com/2013/01/timeline-of-mass-killings-since.html

*

Sherman Shooting Ruled Murder-SuicidePosted: Mar 22, 2016 6:26 PM CDTPolice in Sherman confirmed this afternoon that yesterday’s incident that left a family of 4 dead inside their home was an apparent murder- suicide.Police said the Dallas County Medical Examiner's office has confirmed the findings of their investigators. Yesterday police found the bodies of Kelly Russler, her husband Malachi and their 2 sons Laing and Jayden inside their home in the 2600 block of Rivercrest Drive.Police say Malachi shot his wife and two kids to death and then killed himself.Both of the children who were killed went to school in Sherman. Today counselors were on hand to help their school-mates deal with the tragic loss.People across Sherman are in shock after hearing that a family of four was found dead in their home Monday afternoon, including two little boys that have spent their short life at two local schools."In this situation it was simply having a team together that's school counselors and also school psychologist that are trained in the area of grief counseling," said Sherman Assistant Superintendent Dr.Tyson BennettDr.Bennett says there was a lot of hugging and tears shed but they were prepared after losing a child that's been with the school since kindergarten."The situation is going as well as could be right now. We are there to simply provide that support for students listen to them love them and care for them," said Dr.BennettThe younger boy, Laing Russler attended the Montessori Academy of North Texas. Tuesday they released a statement saying "we are deeply saddened by the tragic loss of one of our students. Our condolences go out to the extended family."

Sherman I.S.D. also provided counseling for the academy to help their students get through a tragic time in all of their lives.

The Circle of Courage®RYI’s philosophy is based on the Circle of Courage, which identifies the four universal needs of every child: Belonging, Mastery, Independence and Generosity.This model is trauma-informed and resilience-focused. It is designed to encourage kids to feel safe and comfortable in an environment of understanding and acceptance. All children need loving, caring, committed, consistent adults around them if they are to bloom fully.

Founded in 1990 by Dr. William Steele, who continues as a consultant today, TLC has trained over 6,000 TLC Certified Trauma and Loss School Specialists and Clinical Specialists to provide TLC resources to children, adolescents, families, schools and communities daily. Today, TLC training programs are in place in more than 3,000 schools, community-based programs, treatment centers and childcare facilities across North America and internationally.

Trauma and Loss in Children

www.starr.org

Table 31992 Gulf War.1995 Bombing of the Federal Building in Oklahoma that killed 168 adults and

19 childeren under the age of six.1999 Wedgwood Baptist Church shooting in Texas that left seven dead.2000 Killing of a six year old girl by a six year old boy in a Michigan school.2001 9/11 World Trade Center attach, American Airlines Flight 77 that crashed

into the Pentagon and the United Flight 93 that crashed in Pennsylvania after passengers attached the terrorist on that flight.

2003 Staten Island Ferry disaster that killed 11 people and seriously injured another71 adults many of whom were elderly.

2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami.2005 Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that left 2000 children and adults dead.2009 The murder of well known high school football coach Ed Thomas in

Parkersburg, Iowa in front of his students.2009 Stabbing death of a special education teacher in Tyler, Texas.2011 Hurricane Irene that caused 15 billion dollars in damage, destroying

homes all the way up the East Coast and in many inland communities.2012 Sand Hook Elementary School shooting where twenty children and six

adult staff members were murdered.

Steele, W.& Kuban, C. (2013)

*

*“The way we speak to our children becomes their inner

voice.”*Peggy O’Mara

*

*GRIEF*Sad* Identity intact*“I wish I would’ve…”*Dreams of person*Angry but not

destructive or assaultive

*Pain related to the loss

* TRAUMA* Terror* Identity distorted- “I’ll

never…”* “It’s my fault…”* Personalizes the trauma* Even if trauma wasn’t

aggressive, the child can become violent/assaultive

* Pain is related to terror and sense of powerlessness, fear and lose of safety.

*

*TYPE 1 – Single Event/Exposure

*TYPE 2 – One type over and over or exposure repeated over 1-2 event

*TYPE 3 – Complex cumulative. Trauma or Developmental Trauma –all runs together. Which time, which place? Chronic/consistent

*Tiger - Deep Brain, Primitive Brain

Wise Owl – Cognitive, Speech, Verbal, Learning

*

*Neuroscience shows that trauma is experienced in the midbrain, the limbic region. “Feeling or Survival brain” where there is no logic, no reason and no language.

*Reason, logic, use of language, to make sense of what has happened, are upper brain –cognitive functions and are often inaccessible during/after trauma.

*Traumatize kids hear only ½ of what is spoken.

*

*Cognitive Behavioral approaches may be limited in helping Children. (Steele&Kuban 2013)

*Gil (2006) notes traumatic events are experienced and stored implicitly in the right hemisphere of the brain (no logic, reasoning)

*This suggests allowing children time to access and stimulate the right hemisphere, could eventually activate the necessary (explicit) functions of the left hemisphere, which shuts down during trauma.

*

*Exposure to a traumatic event:*-----SURVIVOR is frozen in an activated state of arousal (state of fear, state of alert, survival mode)

*-----STRESS HORMONES are released (cortisol, adrenalin, etc)

*This surge in stress hormones creates changes in the brain.

*Changes in the brain cause changes in the survivor’s cognitive, behavioral, & emotional functions.

* Trauma has NO LANGUAGE, no words to describe

* Unable to reason

* Unable to think thought through

* Unable to make sense of it

* The neurons in the Hippocampus are damaged significantly by the stress hormone release

* Learning, processing, focusing is impaired

*

* Trauma memory is stored

* No words, just sensory memories- sight, sounds, touch, smell, taste

* Iconic Symbolization – images

* Affect

* Emotional Dys-regulation

* Easily activated

*

*

1st – Sensory2nd – Regulatory- affect3rd - Memory

*Before a child can self regulate, they need to be able to recognize their feelings, body awareness and become self aware*Gingerbread silhouette “Where does it hurt?”

*What color is your hurt?

*Where do you feel__________?

*What would you say to your_________?

*Zone of Regulation Line/ Scale 1-10

*

*What can we do to do lower hyper-arousal and lower fear and anxiety?* Can I take your pulse?* Yoga breathing –tummy breathing* Body cues* Change in room/seating/temperature* Rice Jars with hidden items, Think About It Jars* Tactile, sensory items* Chewing pieces of ice (disrupts) * (Be aware of triggers & stressors)* Routine, consistency

The Relaxing Two Step ExerciseThis simple relaxation exercise is for young children. All of the steps are in twos so that they can remember how to complete it. When teaching this exercise, the instructor should do it with the child so that he/or she understands the steps. Have the child practice this with their caregiver and on their own. Encourage the child to go through the imagery, breathing and muscle relaxation. If they prefer one piece more than the other, that’s OK too. After the child has mastered this exercise some children may want to make up their own, “Fun Two Step Exercise” with fun moves as a way to be silly and interact with the teaching adult. Imagery 1. Close your eyes 2. Imagine yourself in a happy, safe place or event (for 15-30 seconds) Breathing – Repeat Twice 1. Breathe in slowly through your nose and fill your belly with air like a balloon (in for two counts, hold for two, blow out for two) 2. Breathe in slowly again through your nose and fill your belly with air like a balloon (in for two counts, hold for two, blow out for two) Muscle Relaxation – Repeat Twice 1. Tighten your arm muscles (hold for two counts) and let them fall like noodles 2. Tighten your arm muscles again (hold for two counts) and let them fall like noodles **Optional Stretching ** – Repeat Twice Stretch up (“reach for the stars”) and relax (Alison Salloum; revised by Theresa Stockdreher and Michael Scheeringa).

*

* Materials1 cup very fine sand1/2 tbsp cornstarch1 tsp dish soapwater (as needed)Optional* Food coloring

*DirectionsStep 1: In a bowl, mix fine sand and cornstarch together.Step 2: Add dish soap and water, and combine thoroughly until well mixed.Step 3: Add food coloring if you’d like!Step 4: Let dry for 1-2 hours.Step 5: Start playing!

*

*TLC’s intervention programs address the specific experiences and themes of trauma* Fear & Terror* Worry* Hurt* Anger/Revenge* Helplessness/Hopelessness* Accountability * Safety/Lack of Safety* Powerless* Trapped in victims thinking

*

*Structured Sensory

*Intervention for

*Traumatized

*Children,

*Adolescents &

*Parents3 Components

* Exposure through drawing

*Trauma Narrative

*Cognitive reframing

www.starr.org/tlc

*

*“Drawing accomplishes what talk alone can’t accomplish and is often a safer vehicle for children to express what talk alone can’t express.” (Steele & Kuban, 2013)

* Actively involves kids in their own healing* Expressions of sensory memories, sensations & feelings in a

concrete form* Gives practitioner a front row seat to the child’s view of self,

others and what matters most to them- “now”* Development of the trauma narrative* Allows children of diverse cultures despite a possible

language barrier to express “common, universal & subjective experiences of trauma”.

*

*Trauma specific questions unique to SITCAP®

* Allows the practitioner to:* Be the curious one

* Remain patient

* Follow the pace of the child, seeing their experiences as they see them

* Introduce the child in new ways to view themselves

* Provide the child with an opportunity to redefine themselves within a context of a safe and curious relationship

* Tell me what you know.* What do you think happened?* How does that make you feel?* What do you wonder about?* Where do you feel the hurt?* When do you feel it now? * Where were you when you found out?* What do you want to tell me (him)?* Where were you?* What do you see, smell, taste, feel?

(triggers)* When do you feel it the most?* What is different now?* What did it sound like, smell like, taste

like, etc?

* What makes you fearful, worried?

* Have you felt this way before?

* Is the hurt ever gone?

* What would make it go away?

* Where are there places you feel safe/unsafe?

* If this were an animal, what would it be?

* Who does your hurt want to talk to?

* Does the hurt keep you from doing things?

* If your hurt had a name, could talk, listen, etc…

*

*

* When we use language too soon, traumatized children may not be able to make sense of their experiences.

* Wait till their arousal is reduced and they have been given the opportunity to provide a visual representation of their experience.

* Then, cognitive reframing can be creatively introduced to help the child make sense of their experience.

* Cognitive reframing is very helpful in the healing process, but the reframing must reflect what has been experienced at the sensory level first.

* Steele, W., & Kuban, C. (2013) Working with grieving and traumatized children and adolescents: Discovering what

matters most through evidence based, sensory interventions. Hoboken, NJ: Jon Wiley & Sons

*

Be a curious observer/witness to their experience

*

*

What is in your attic?

*

Asking “Why” is not part of the Trauma Informed Framework.

*

*1. Safely Address Subjective Experiences* Traumatized children feel

safest when they are engaged in predictable and structured interventions that provide them with choice and when they are given the control to stop when activities an questions become too activating.

* Children are the best experts about what helps and hurts them most.

*2. Sensory Based Interventions*Non-language activities

that help children convey how they now see themselves and others in their world.

*Since traumatic memories are stored through out senses, provides children an opportunity to give their experience a visual identity- iconic symbolization.

*Allows the practitioner to be a witness without the child having to say too much.

*

*3. Using Trauma Specific Questions* Used to help children tell

their stories in ways that describe how they are experiencing the themes of trauma

* Allow the practitioner to remain curious about the child’s experience.

* Helps the child put words into his own experience, putting memories into a contextual framework

* Then, it becomes easier for the child to be able to cognitively reframe in ways they can manage.

*4. Being Curious* Children are most

comfortable when we take an interest in their world.

* “What” not “Why”

* Curious rather than analytical

* Follow the child’s lead and avoiding interpretations, judgements, and assumptions about what they may need.

*

* 5. Safely Beginning & Ending* Each session should begin and end

in a safe place with interactions or activities and the child can acknowledge as safe, comforting and enjoyable.

* Teaching self-regulation is key-using one’s own body to regulate reactions to stressful events and threatening situations.

* Practicing mind-body skills such as breathing and mindfulness can create new memories that counteract the traumatic experiences of the past. And with that an intergrated healing can occur.

* Also, this teaches the child they can return to that safe place/feeling through these activities when they are in stressful situations outside of the counseling sessions.

* By being able to self-regulate this provides power and mastery.

* 6. Reframing the Experience* When using language too

soon, traumatized children will not be able to understand our attempts to help them make sense of their experiences.

* Wait until the child’s arousal is reduced and they have been given the opportunity to provide visual representation of their experience.

* Cognitive reframing is helpful in healing, but the reframing must reflect what has been experienced first at a sensory level.

Steele, W., & Kuban, C. (2013)

*

HELPERS? – guide/assist

HEALERS? – allow their stories to be told completely

JAILERS? – punishment/correction

**Intervention must be individualized*Try to respond in ways that are safe, timely, & specific to the unique needs of the survivor*Interact in ways that empower survivors to be the best experts to what is and what is not helpful to their own healing.*Listen past the noise. See – Hear - Feel the beat of the child – Allow for intuitive response - Connections

*

* https://www.starr.org/training/tlc* https://issuu.com/starrcommonwealth/docs/sglnbrochure/1?e=0* www.reclaimingjournal.com* https://www.massshootingtracker.org/data/2016* Gill, E., (2006) Helping Abused and Traumatized Children, Guilford Press* Karr-Morse, R., & Wiley, R. (1997) Ghosts From the Nursery: Tracing the Roots of

Violence, Atlantic Monthly Press, an imprint of Grove/Atlantic, Inc.* Kuban, C. (2012), “Healing Childhood Trauma Worldwide”, Reclaiming Children and

Youth, Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 14-16.* Steele, W. (2013) Critical Considerations: TLC Recovery Interventions Following

Traumatic Incidents, Clinton Township, MI, The National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children

* Steele, W., & Kuban, C. (2010) “Structured Sensory Trauma Interventions”, Reclaiming Children and Youth, Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 29-31.

* Steele, W., & Kuban, C. (2013) Working with grieving and traumatized children and adolescents: Discovering what matters most through evidence based, sensory interventions. Hoboken, NJ: Jon Wiley & Sons

* Susan Simmons, CTP* ssimmons@shermanisd.net