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Acute Trauma

Helping Our Children and Adolescents recover from Acute Trauma as a result of

The Australian National Bushfires.

Hi, I’m RIta.

I’m the owner of Empowered Insight, I provide services for Child & Adolescent Mental Health, Women’s Counseling & Self Love Workshops.

I created this guide to help those that have been affected by the Australian National Bushfires. If you are a parent, caregiver or family that has witnessed a tragedy like the fires, I urge

you to take care of your mental wellbeing, and keep a very close eye on your children and adolescents.

If you or your family need help, please do not hesitate to contact me on the below. r.pietrosanto@gmail.com | Level 1, Suite 8, 6 – 8 Lyall Road Berwick | 0406 577 428

This resource was created for parents, caregivers, families and communities who have been directly affected by The Australian National Bushfires. Please note; this resource is relevant and can be referred to for all experiences of Acute Trauma.

What is Acute Trauma?

Acute Trauma is experienced as a result of one single overwhelming event or occurrence. For example, natural disasters such as bushfires and floods, car accidents, sudden deaths or witnessing or being subjected to any single act of abuse or violence.

Effects of Acute Trauma

Below is a list of common responses and reactions you may see in your child or adolescent during and after the event has occurred.

These responses can vary in intensity and degree and each individual child or adolescent is unique in their own experiences, meaning some may present with most responses, while others may display only a couple.

How an event affects an individual person will vary on their own personal experience of the trauma, as well as their own developmental processes and the support received during the time. All of the below responses to Acute Trauma are normal and expected.

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Emotional • Aggressive/ irritable behaviour. Mood

swings or emotional outbursts.• Behaviours that reflect separation

anxiety/ increase in clinginess and neediness

• Suddenly feeling fearful of things that would once not be a problem. For example, fear of being left alone, fear of the dark.

• Increased feelings of general anxiety• Withdrawn and experiencing feelings of

sadness, grief and loss.• Denial• Shock • Confusion

Physical • Stomach aches• Headaches• Chest Pain• Nausea

Behavioural • Change in appetite. No desire to eat food, or

an urge to over eat.• Sleep disturbances – frequent nightmares,

being unable to sleep or over sleeping.• Increased sensitivity to loud noises, smells

and other sensory triggers.• No desire to engage in regular activities or

fun-based activities.• Adolescents may turn to risk-taking

behaviours such as drinking, engaging in substance use or self-harming to help numb pain and block memories.

Psychological• Flashbacks of traumatic event and personal

experience• Pre-empting and focusing on whether

the event will occur again. Strong fear of reoccurrence.

• Memory or recollection of event may be temporarily mistaken or incorrect.

Social • Trouble relating to or connecting with

friends or loved ones.

All of the below responses to Acute Trauma are normal and expected.

1. Nourish yourself first

You cannot give from an empty cup. Self-care during this time is pivotal in keeping our energy up and love cups full so that we can give to our family, friends and community. During difficult and emotionally heavy times, parents and care givers often have to provide extra special care for their children and adolescents, particularly because they will need it. Just like we are asked to put on our own oxygen mask before another, please ensure you are placing priority on your own self-nourishment first.

This point is the most important point as it will be increasingly difficult to action the following points from an empty cup.

Spend a few minutes every day finding the diamond in the rough. Although it may seem difficult, find some time to state what you are grateful for during this time.

Be open to receiving love, care and support from others. Hug, speak to loved ones and receive love from each other. As a parent and caregiver, it’s second nature to constantly want to give, however it’s important to be open and accepting of receiving during these times to.

Practice Mindfulness for 5 minutes in the morning and 10 minutes before you close your eyes.

How you can help support your child or adolescent in

managing and healing from the traumatic event.

Practice affirmations. “ I am making my way to the other side of this”, “ I am reclaiming every inch of myself, moment by moment”, “I am worthy”, “I am not alone”, “It is safe to feel”.

Journal your reflections, emotions and experiences daily to help release any stored emotions and internal experiences.

2. Limit the exposure of news/images/recaps and videos as this has the tendency to re-traumatize our children and adolescents.

Healing from acute trauma involves an individual slowly processing the trauma in their own time and way. Unfortunately, revisiting these traumatic events through news and social media can hinder this process and be further traumatizing.

Please note, exposure to relentless media coverage can also create traumatic stress in children and adolescents who were not directly affected by the event.

3, Provide age-appropriate facts only.

It is normal for victims of Acute Trauma to feel helpless and fearful and this tends to feed the anxiety that they are experiencing. Providing your child and/or adolescent with age-appropriate honest facts can elicit a sense of empowerment and control that they so desperately need during this time.

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Correcting any misidentified information they may have received through the media or other sources may also be impacting on their anxiety and any incorrect facts or information could be a further trigger.

Knowledge and facts promote a sense of empowerment and empowerment gives a sense of safety. Make the time to answer any questions your child or adolescent may have during this time and ensure you are open to answering all questions.

It is safe to reply with “I don’t know”. Discovering answers together is a powerful process which can help both parent and child.

4. Allow time for difficult feelings – yours and theirs.

Give your child or adolescent space and time to talk about how they are feeling. Younger children are generally more open to having these conversations however it is important that as parents and caregivers, we model the importance of discussing our feelings during this time.

Awareness of feelings is the first part of releasing any locked or stored trauma in the mind body and soul.

Remember that discussions regarding feelings are not often a comfortable conversation to have and should not be forced. Significant traumatic events such as the Australian National Bushfires can elicit difficult feelings such as shame, confusion, guilt, grief and loss and creating a safe space to discuss these is a significant part of the healing journey.

If possible, be creative in how and when you choose to have these discussions. More often than not, these conversations can be more successful when you are engaged in an activity together and eye-to-eye contact is not present.

The aim is to bring awareness to their feelings and then normalizing them. When we can assist our young people with naming their feelings, we are consequently helping them take the first step towards healing.

5. Model appropriate healing strategies and coping mechanisms.

Ensure you have your own coping strategies to help you through this time. By modelling appropriate coping strategies and emotional regulation techniques, we are teaching our children and adolescents how to cope during this time.

One successful strategy can make a world of difference for your child or adolescent.

Examples might include, journaling experiences and emotions, sharing feelings and fears in a safe and supportive space, drawing/painting, physical activity when and where possible, ensuring the right amount of sleep and rest is a priority.

6. Provide stability and consistency when and where possible.

Your child or adolescent may have potentially experienced a significant amount of change and life upheaval during this time.

Promoting consistency and stability in any areas that you can, will help reduce their anxiety. You can do this by sharing the structure of your day with your child, letting them know what they will be doing over the course of the day.

Assist with verbally preparing your child for the day ahead. The more they know, the more in control they will feel.

Involve your child or adolescent in purchasing new belongings. Create brand new comforting and consistent routines that are aligned to your current living arrangements and capacity.

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7. Provide extra love, affection and reassurance at this time.

Acute Traumatic experiences such as bushfires can trigger stress responses and consistent fear. Providing our children and/or adolescents with love and support during this time is a pivotal part of healing the trauma.

Hugs, kisses, affection and attention are all important healing factors during this time. Parents and caregivers may find that their children are requiring a lot more energy and attention at this moment and this is to help aid them in feeling safe and secure. Reassurance that all will be ok is an important part of the healing journey.

8. Bring in smiles and joy in the moments between fear and anxiety.

Although it may feel like an effort to do so, factor in some joy and light hardheartedness during this time. Playing music, encouraging play with friends, dancing are also a fun way to bring in some light hardheartedness during this time.

Discuss the future and the opportunity for new beginnings in a positive light, share positive and uplifting stories of the past and engage in laughter filled activities when and where possible. Creating a sense of hope is a fundamental influence in healing trauma.

9. Refrain from giving children too much responsibility during this time.

In the event of a crisis, families and communities are placed under an immense amount of pressure. Children and adolescents are a part of these families and communities and are sometimes inevitably required to carry a load of responsibility during this time.

If possible, ensure that their responsibility is not too much pressure for them and continue to check in to see how they are managing. Overburdening with tasks and responsibilities could evoke further stress.

10. Remember the fundamentals of positive mental health.

The food your child and/or adolescent is ingesting at this time will impact on their mood and ability to cope with traumatic experiences.

Fruit and vegetables are the foundation of positive mental health, however if a consistent healthy diet is not available to your family at this time, perhaps consider how you might be able to slowly access and integrate these foods into their diet.

Most Acute Trauma survivors result in being highly resilient with a toolbox full of appropriate coping strategies. Time is required for full recovery and most people do so with the help of supportive families and communities. Most individuals are able to again fully function across all areas of their lives and once again begin to trust and enjoy life.

When to consider further help for your child or adolescent?

With a loving, supportive, caring family and community, the effects of Acute Trauma should start to dissipate over time. However, if symptoms are not improving after 4-6 weeks of the event ending, or if symptoms escalate, then consider obtaining professional help and support. It is important to remember that the Australian Bushfires are still active and depending on each individual situation, effects may continue to appear for up to 6 weeks after the bushfires have ceased completely.

If you or your family need help, please do not hesitate to contact me on the below. r.pietrosanto@gmail.com | Level 1, Suite 8, 6 – 8 Lyall Road Berwick | 0406 577 428

@empowered_insight