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Accepting the Power & Responsibility of Being a Trusted Adult

Article By Brooklyn Raney, Guest Expert and author of the book One Trusted Adult.


5 Minute Read 


The power of one trusted adult in a child’s life is great, and the combined power of many trusted adults is even greater. The good news is that every adult can build the competence and capacity to show up as a trusted adult for young people! 

 

When a young person comes to you because they have a worry or concern, need something, want to share exciting news, are looking for advice, or any of the many other reasons they might seek you out, you have three options: exploit, ignore, or embrace.

 

The sad reality is that some adults will exploit their relationships with children. This is why it is so crucial to teach children about boundaries from a very early age.

 

Teaching young people what is okay and what is not okay, how to voice their discomfort, and who to talk to if they feel something isn’t right is as important as...

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7 Ways to Help a Child Deal with Traumatic Stress

Article By Hilary Jacobs Hendel, LCSW, Guest Expert and author of the award-winning book It’s Not Always Depression


5 Minute Read 


Life is stressful. That’s a fact. To grow and learn we must try new things. Struggling, prevailing, and tolerating failures along the way builds confidence and the deep feeling in a child that “I can do it.” But the positive aspects of struggle and stress are lost when the amount of stress becomes too great and/or sustained.

 

Persistent and long-lasting stress on the mind and body caused by overwhelming emotions leads to traumatic stress, a condition characterized by a nervous system in overdrive. The brain’s emotional centers lock into a state of DANGER and the body operates in the fight, flight, and freeze modes.

 

Traumatic stress feels awful. For example, the body tenses and succumbs to many other physiological changes leading to digestive problems and headaches. Furthermore,...

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