Trauma

Trauma.  I had associated that word with abuse and violence.  Rape.  Murder.  Physical abuse.  Years of neglect in an institution.  In my naivete, I assumed my adopted children did not have trauma.  They did not have any of these horrible things happen to them.   I knew that they had always been loved.  I knew my children had suffered deep losses, but I did not make the trauma connection.  I inadvertently overlooked the very deep and formative trauma that can happen to a developing young brain.   I don't blame myself.  There was a lot going on in my life before and after adopting two young siblings (8 mo/36 mo), one of whom is a special needs child.

Four years later, I am learning A LOT about trauma.  What I am learning is making a night/day difference in how I see my children, how I parent them and how I show them love.  This blog is an attempt to write what I am learning down so that I process it once again.  It is an attempt to share with anyone else out there who is realizing the effect of trauma on their children and can benefit from what I post.

I am a parent, learning as I go.  I am by no means an expert.  All I am doing here is passing on information - gathered from therapy sessions, books or articles, in hopes that the information will stick all the more in my mind and be of benefit to yours.