Trauma at a Distance

All of us have struggled to make sense of the shooting in Colorado, without a lot of success. We were not victims of the actual event because we were separated by distance. But don’t think we aren’t affected by the reality of this situation in a hundred different ways. And if we as adults are struggling with this trauma at a distance, how are our children coping? They will watch teenagers and young adults, very much like themselves, talk about their experience in the theater. When they see those faces telling those stores, it is easy to imagine themselves in their position and they will have a variety of reactions. It’s our job to help them sort it all out.

The National Child Trauma Stress Network developed a set of guidelines parents and other adults can use to help youth deal with this situation. Some of these are specifically for those whose trauma was very directly related to the event. But some of these are a great resources for those of us looking for a way to help our kids understand this situation – at a distance. Take a look and use them to have conversations with your teens and children today!