My name is Shauna and I train people in trauma informed care. My journey in becoming trauma informed began at a conference in 2010. I happened into a breakout session on the advice of a fellow parent attendee. I didn’t understand why I should be interested in this and yet I went. Eleven years later I am intrigued and still learning about the effects of trauma on development and its effects on relationships and the body.
I remember two things from the 90 minute session:
1. We each got dark chocolate
2. They asked about our earliest memory
In that room they had us close our eyes. I remember feeling a little awkward and yet as a rule follower, I did as I was told. The uncomfortableness of closing my eyes in a roomful of strangers was outweighed by the feeling of not doing what I had been told to do. So I closed my eyes. Recalling those first memories was a little unsettling. I don’t remember much of my early years formed in southeast Montana. The bitter cold winters and hot mosquito desolate landscapes mirror my memories. I left there and have spent many years trying to leave it all behind. In my 40s, a kind child psychiatrist/ neurobiologist helped me make friends with one particularly embarrassing camping activity called beer batter pancakes. He called it a great cultural story; it should have been named backwash breakfast. When I learned he grew up in North Dakota, it made perfect sense. He probably saw a cigarette butt poured out of beer can into Bisquick too.
Memories are key to learning about trauma, not necessarily the recalling of memories. That is, our brains learn through experience and stores that information in our memories. We actually start this process before we are preverbal. We also learn really well from bad experiences. It makes sense that my brain held onto the negative events so I that if something like it happened again, I would avoid it. Usually people avoid these things through fight, flight or freeze. Sometimes they are able to understand why like my husband. The smell of a candle being lit or put out anywhere in the house will prompt his brain to see that the situation is safe. During his childhood, he accidently set his house on fire with a candle that wasn’t completely extinguished. Thankfully no one was hurt. Forty years later, EVERY candle lit in our house is a BIG deal. But sometimes you may not know why you behave in an unusual manner and that is ok.
Being trauma informed means noticing things, which we will discuss more another day. Being trauma informed helps you recognize your own needs also. It helps us to eat healthy foods when we can, to have compassion for ourselves and others, and to give dark chocolate to people who are on their own trauma informed journey.
Like those wise trauma trainers in that conference room, I invite you to take care of yourself. Be kind to yourself especially now. Find your dark chocolate, something that is healthy and tastes good to you. I invite you to join me as we continue on our trauma informed journey.
Interested in learning more about trauma? Take a quick look at Nadine Burke Harris’ TED Talk.