LSBA Children’s Law Committee
This guide provides Louisiana children’s attorneys, including those working in child welfare, delinquency, and mental health, with information on best practices and resources needed to develop a trauma-informed approach and effectively serve their clients. It is organized to familiarize attorneys with the concepts and definitions necessary to understand trauma, followed by practical skills to help implement a trauma-informed practice.
I. What is Trauma?
Trauma is a complex psychological response to distressing or life-threatening incidents. Such experiences
can have lasting adverse effects on an individual’s overall functioning and well-being, altering their
perception and interactions with the world.1 A wide range of experiences can be classified as traumatic.
These may include, but are not limited to,
- serious accidents,
- criminal activities such as assault or robbery,
- natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes,
- instances of physical or emotional abuse,
- neglect in various forms,
- systemic oppression and discrimination,
- and witnessing acts of violence.
Additionally, the loss of a loved one often ranks among the most intensely traumatic events an individual
may face. Trauma can stem from direct personal experiences, witnessing harm to others, or indirect
exposure to these events, such as learning that family or friends experienced such events. Individuals may experience a significant traumatic event or multiple incidents over time. Regardless of the nature or number of these events, the emotional and psychological impacts can be profound, often requiring professional support for healing and recovery.
II. What is Traumatic Stress?
Traumatic stress occurs when a person is exposed to one or more events that overwhelm their ability to cope with the situation. When children experience inadequate safety, comfort, and protection throughout their life, they may develop coping strategies that allow them to adapt to these negative environments. While some of these strategies serve the purpose of helping children from hard places deal with difficulties, these strategies can also persist and affect their daily lives even after the events have ended. These coping skills play a crucial role in their psychological development. For instance, to gain some control over their unpredictable surroundings, children may become highly sensitive to other people’s emotions. This heightened sensitivity leads them to continuously evaluate the feelings and actions of adults, as they try to determine which behaviors might ensure their safety or foster positive interactions. Furthermore, these children may also suppress their own emotions, consciously hiding feelings of fear, sadness, or anger that they believe could render them vulnerable in an already precarious situation.