×

Alpena caregivers offered training in trauma

ALPENA — Previous participants of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network curriculum for caregivers said anyone who deals with children should attend trauma training.

“I would say anyone from foster parents, to teachers; if you work with kids you need to understand their behavior,” said Peggi Armstrong, a local parent who attended a previous training.

Trauma can mean anything from physical to emotional abuse to witnessing a crime or accident to being abandoned by a caregiver. Research has shown that living through a traumatic experience can affect brain development and behavior, similar to post-traumatic stress disorder in military veterans.

Michigan has joined a national effort to train educators and others to recognize the signs of trauma so they can respond to it in a constructive way.

The next Alpena training will begin Sept. 27 in the social hall at First Presbyterian Church at the corner of U.S.-23 North and Long Rapids Road. Space is limited, and registration requires a call to 989-356-2880 or 800-354-2880. Deadline to register is Friday, Sept. 21.

The deadline to register for Montmorency County has passed and the classes begin at 6 p.m. Monday. The training lasts for six weeks and is free. The financial support to cover class costs has been provided by the United Way of Northeast Michigan.

The first three classes cover trauma basics and offer a training certificate for six contact hours. Topics include “Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences,” “Trauma 101,” and “Understanding Trauma’s Effects.”

The remaining three classes cover putting trauma knowledge into action, and participants will earn a second certificate for six contact hours. Topics include “Building a Safe Place,” “Dealing with Feelings and Behaviors,” and “Connections, Healing, and Advocacy.”

The first three sessions are required to attend the last three.

Community trauma training team members Carlene Przykucki and Mary Schalk of Partners In Prevention and Meg Nisbet of Hope Shores Alliance present the course. They are members of the Statewide Children’s Trauma Initiative overseen by the Michigan Deptartment of Health and Human Services, Przykucki said in a statement.

Armstrong took the training to help her understand the behaviors her adopted daughter dealt with. Armstrong said caregivers are given ways to deal with the behaviors and they try and learn not to take things personally. Armstrong said her daughter has changed a lot since she came into Armstrong’s care.

“She was overly attached at first; she would have a panic attack when I would leave the room,” Armstrong said. “She didn’t understand that I was coming right back. Now, I know I have to let her know ahead of time what time I will be home and where I’m going.”

Even though Armstrong’s daughter arrived to her care at a young age, she went through a lot of trauma and insecurities.

“When they’re little, they might not remember, but their body does,” Armstrong said.

Stacey Gildner, another attendee of a previous training session, said she thinks the training will be helpful once she adopts her daughter.

“We’re adopting a little girl,” she said. “We haven’t met her yet and she’s not been in our home, yet. We don’t know that yet. We know we learned a lot of things to look for as far as what behaviors are there because of trauma. We learned to be able to work through those trauma behaviors to help her live a normal, healthy, productive life.”

She added adults should realize that, when many children exhibit trauma-related behaviors, it’s different than a child misbehaving.

“You need to know how trauma affects kids to help them before it’s too late,” Gildner said.

Jordan Spence can be reached at jspence@thealpenanews.com or 989-358-5687.

Newsletter

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.62/week.

Subscribe Today