Using a Trauma Informed Approach to Help Teens Become Effective Leaders in their Lives

Format

Individual Presentation

First Presenter's Institution

The Empowerment House

Second Presenter's Institution

NA

Third Presenter's Institution

NA

Fourth Presenter's Institution

NA

Fifth Presenter's Institution

NA

Location

Session 4 (Scarbrough 5)

Strand #1

Social & Emotional Skills

Strand #2

Mental & Physical Health

Relevance

According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network "These students exposed to a traumatic event feel self-conscious about their emotional responses to the event. They often experience feelings of shame and guilt about the traumatic event and may express fantasies about revenge and retribution. A traumatic event for adolescents may foster a radical shift in the way these students think about the world. Some of these adolescents may begin to engage in self-destructive or accident-prone behaviors and reckless behaviors. There may be a shift in their interpersonal relationships with family members, teachers, and classmates. These students may show a change in their school performance, attendance, and behavior."

Based on the above, this session is extremely relevant to the social and emotional as well as the mental and physical health strands because their response to trauma impacts their behavior and academic achievement performance.

http://www.nctsnet.org/resources/audiences/school-personnel/effects-of-trauma#q4

Brief Program Description

The purpose of this session will be to share an evidence-based program that focuses on teaching middle and high school students cope with traumatic events and “setbacks” in their lives. The objective is to share strategies that will help the participants create programs that will increase the self-esteem levels of the students, reduce feelings of defeat and insignificance and move the students toward positive changes in their lives. This session is perfect for middle and high school educators.

Summary

For students, a traumatic experience may cause ongoing feelings of concern for their own safety and the safety of others. These students may become preoccupied with thoughts about their actions during the event, experiencing guilt or shame over what they did or did not do at the time. They might engage in constant retelling of the traumatic event or may describe being overwhelmed by their feelings of fear or sadness. It may interrupt the school routine and the processes of teaching and learning. When this occurs, there are usually high levels of disruptive behavior, student absenteeism, and emotional turmoil unless efforts are made move students towards positive changes. Students traumatized by exposure to violence have been shown to have lower grade point averages, more negative remarks in their cumulative records, and more reported absences from school than other students. Educators need to create programs and services that enable them to address the effects that trauma has on students.

According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (2017), schools need to measure their preparedness to address the “3R's of School Crises and Disasters.”

Readiness: Readiness is the level at which a school is prepared to respond to a crisis or to an emergency if the crisis or disaster were to happen today.

Response: Response is the sum total of the school's resources and skills to take decisive and effective action when a crisis situation has occurred.

Recovery: Recovery is the process of restoring the social and emotional equilibrium of the school community.

In addition, Studies show that about 15% to 43% of girls and 14% to 43% of boys go through at least one trauma. Of those children and teens who have had a trauma, 3% to 15% of girls and 1% to 6% of boys develop PTSD. Rates of PTSD are higher for certain types of trauma survivors (U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs).

In the United States, it is estimated that 5 million children are exposed to traumatic events yearly (Ruzek et al., 2007). Seventy to ninety percent of people will be exposed to a traumatic event at some time in their lives. One study found that by the age of 11, 11% of youth have experienced a traumatic event. By the age of 18, 43% of youth have experienced such an event ("Identifying and addressing trauma in adolescents," 2007). This means that during adolescence, there is a dramatic increase in the exposure to trauma (Eckes and Radunovich).

Using the main tenets from an evidence based program, “21 Ways to Get Over It for Teens,” this session will focus on teaching participants specific activities that can be done with students who have been traumatized. This model program is based upon a curriculum designed to motivate, empower, inspire and teach teens how to be effective leaders in their lives…despite and in spite of whatever they have been through.

It addresses topics to teach students such as Value and Self-Worth, Loyalty, Dedication to Self, Forgiveness, Anger, Leadership Skills, Action Plans, etc. It also teaches educators how to create activities and techniques that will help their middle and high school students. Many educators put “band-aids on gunshot wounds” and do not teach teens in-depth techniques to “Get Over It.” This session will provide examples that may be used to help educators provide the assistance teens need.

http://www.nctsnet.org/resources/audiences/school-personnel/the-3r-school-crises-and-disasters

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/family/ptsd-children-adolescents.asp

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1004

Evidence

Based on recommendations from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network and US Department of Veteran Affairs (PTSD section), trauma informed approaches work best when dealing with students who have experienced trauma in their lives. Teaching educators how to develop services to support teens who are trying to "Get Over It" is an effective manner to ensure that they are aware of how to use trauma informed approaches. The evidence based "21 Ways to Get Over It for Teens" curriculum is an example that can be shared and can help educators achieve the goal of using trauma informed approaches to assist students.

Biographical Sketch

Youth Empowerment Expert, Motivational Speaker, International Bestselling Author, and Publisher, Dr. Adair f. White-johnson (affectionately known as “Dr. Adair”) is a leading authority on motivating, inspiring and empowering individuals to move towards positive change, become resilient and to bounce back after hitting rock bottom. She specializes in helping women and teens build their confidence levels to become equipped and empowered to pursue their passion, to persevere in their purpose and to “Get Over It!”

As the International Bestselling Author of 12 books and three curricula that include "21 Ways to Get Over It! What You Should Know,” “21 Ways to Get Over It! What You Should Know for Teens,”“How to Get Over It! in 30 Days Parts I, II, and III,” “Teen Dating Violence and Academic Achievement: The Power of Connection,” “White Girl Speaks! Powerful Words of Inspiration for Leadership and Success in your Life,” “Get Over It! How to Bounce Back After Hitting Rock Bottom,” and “Get Over It! How to Bounce Back After Hitting Rock Bottom for Teens,” Dr. Adair focuses on teaching teens, young adults, and women how to become empowered, resilient and become change agents in their lives despite any trauma that they have experienced. Also, Dr. Adair trains educators how to use evidence-based, effective methods to work with youth who have been traumatized and need assistance.

Dr. Adair decided to end her successful career as a Professional Counselor after 26 years so she could “follow her next dream.” She then created The Johnson Tribe Publishing House (JTP), a full-service publishing agency that empowers, engages, inspires, motivates, promotes and teaches authors the skills of writing and publishing their books.

The Empowerment House was established so that she could coach women and teens through life changes. She teaches them how to operate and thrive despite their circumstances and shares techniques that help them empower themselves to “push through the pain” in their lives and become successful individuals.

She is a popular, dynamic, powerful, and entertaining motivational speaker, and Dr. Adair has internationally delivered successful presentations in countries such as India, Canada, and The Bahamas.

As the creator of The BELIEVE and GO HARD systems, she imparts strategies that focus on leadership skills, creating a healthy balance, fulfilling dreams and reaching destiny points. In these systems, she introduces six stages of self-empowerment that includes rejuvenating natural resiliency.

A State University of New York at Buffalo graduate who earned a Ph.D., a Certificate of Advanced Studies and a Master’s degree in Counseling, Dr. Adair has provided motivational, creative and unique services for over thirty years. She also created an empowerment and resiliency curriculum for teens. This program is aligned with the National Common Core Standards as well as the American School Counselor Association National Model. She has collaborated with The Still Standing Foundation to create a comprehensive and informative curriculum and program, “Teen Dating Violence, Unhealthy Relationships, and Academic Achievement: The Power of Connection.” Her third curriculum, “21 Ways to Get Over It! for Teens: What You Need to Know” motivates, inspires, and empowers teens for leadership and success.

She has been named as a State of Georgia Professional School Counselor of the Year and Writer of the Year and has also been featured in The Huffington Post, Black Enterprise, Rolling Out, POSE, Glambitious, BOLD magazines and on CBS 46 Atlanta television and V103 Radio. Dr. Adair has appeared on several national, and international radio shows, podcasts and is the recipient of several academic and civic awards.

Presentation Year

2019

Start Date

3-5-2019 8:30 AM

End Date

3-5-2019 9:45 AM

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Mar 5th, 8:30 AM Mar 5th, 9:45 AM

Using a Trauma Informed Approach to Help Teens Become Effective Leaders in their Lives

Session 4 (Scarbrough 5)

The purpose of this session will be to share an evidence-based program that focuses on teaching middle and high school students cope with traumatic events and “setbacks” in their lives. The objective is to share strategies that will help the participants create programs that will increase the self-esteem levels of the students, reduce feelings of defeat and insignificance and move the students toward positive changes in their lives. This session is perfect for middle and high school educators.