Resources for Trauma, Grief, and Tragedy

Talking with Children about Tragic Events
Tragic Shootings: How Can We Protect Our Loved Ones and Ourselves From Violent Attacks?
Helping Children Regain Their Emotional Safety After a Tragedy

Resources for Coping:

Help for Children, Youth, Parents, and Providers’ Reactions in response to traumatic events

For Those Experiencing Distress

The Disaster Distress Helpline (1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746) provides immediate counseling to anyone who needs help in dealing with many problems arising from the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut. You can also access the Helpline’s website – https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/disaster-distress-helpline – or follow on Twitter at @distressline. Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Helpline is a 24 hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week resource available for those who are experiencing psychological distress as a result of natural or man-made disasters, incidents of mass violence or any other tragedy affecting America’s communities. The Helpline immediately connects callers to trained and caring professionals from the closest crisis counseling center in the nationwide network of centers.  The Helpline staff will provide confidential counseling, referrals, and other needed support services. SAMHSA also operates a treatment locator (www.samhsa.gov) where people can find information about local mental health and substance abuse treatment services in their area as well as information on coping with violence and traumatic events. 

Resources from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network

  • It’s okay to remember
    http://www.nctsn.org/trauma-types/traumatic-grief/what-childhood-traumatic-grief
    This video provides information regarding traumatic grief in children, addresses the three main types of trauma reminders, and illustrates how families can experience the pain of loss and then heal. It features physicians and experts in the field and is appropriate for parents and others who care for children.
  • Parent Tips for Infants and Toddlers
    This document offers a grid to help parents with infants and toddlers understand how their child may be feeling—it also offers an in-depth list of how parents can help their young children cope with disaster.
    PDF: English  | Chinese | Japanese | Spanish
  • Parent Tips for Preschoolers
    This document provides information for parents including reactions and/or behavior that may occur after a disaster including suggestions for what to say and do once the disaster is over.
    PDF: English  | Chinese | Japanese | Spanish
  • Parent Tips for School-age Children
    This document offers information on common reactions after a disaster and how parents can respond to their school-age children.
    PDF: English  | Chinese | Japanese | Spanish
  • Parent Tips for Adolescents

This document will provide parents with tips for how to respond to their adolescent child after a disaster. The tips include possible reactions, responses, and examples of things to do and say. PDF: English  | Chinese | Japanese | Spanish 

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Additional Resources for Children, Parents, and Educators

Helping children cope with violence and disasters http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/child-and-adolescent-mental-health/children-and-violence.shtml
The National Institute for Mental Health produced this page of guidance to educators, parents, professional caregivers, and community members on practical steps that can help children cope with exposure to violence either firsthand or in the media.  

Tips for adults on how to talk with children about the Connecticut school shooting                   http://rems.ed.gov/docs/Tips_for_Adults_on_How_to_Talk_with_Children_About_ConnecticuT_School_Shooting.pdf
This resource is being promoted by the U.S. Department of Education and provides practical assistance for parents, child care providers, teachers, and other adults on how to answer children’s questions   

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Resources on Trauma and Mass Violence:

  • Mental Health Response to Mass Violence and Terrorism: A Field Guide—This SAMHSA publication is intended for mental health and disaster workers; first responders; government agency employees; and crime victim assistance, faith-based, healthcare, and other service providers who assist survivors and families during the aftermath of mass violence and terrorism. Please let us know if you would like additional free copies. http://store.samhsa.gov/product/Mental-Health-Response-to-Mass-Violence-and-Terrorism-A-Field-Guide/SMA05-4025
  • Responding to Victims of Terrorism and Mass Violence Crimes—This booklet describes the relationship between the Office of Victims of Crime and the American Red Cross and provides guidance about crime victims’ rights and needs as well as how to assist victims of terrorism and mass violence crime.  It provides a comparison of how natural disasters are similar to and different from disasters caused by criminal human behavior and notes the psychological effects of each.

Resources on Retraumatization and Chronic Stress:

Lessons Learned from School Crises and Emergencies
http://rems.ed.gov/docs/LL_Vol5Issue3.pdf
This publication from the U.S. Department of Education Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools discusses retraumatization at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) following the 2007 campus shooting of 32 individuals. 

Recommended Books for Children

Recommended Books for Children Coping With Loss or Trauma
https://wp.me/a7sR6G-S6
This list of picture books from the National Association of School Psychologists was compiled by grief and crisis experts who work with children. The document also includes tips for parents and caregivers for  talking to children about their feelings. 

Listening with My Heart: A story of kindness and self-compassion
By Gabi Garcia, Illustrated by Ying Hui Tan
https://www.librarything.com/work/20556276/book/187521627
In today’s hypercompetitive world, kids often internalize the message that their worth is attached to their accomplishments and that messing up is something to be ashamed of, rather than a normal part of life, which can lead to critical self-talk. Listening with My Heart reminds us of the other golden rule–to treat ourselves like we would treat a friend. When we do this, we are practicing self-compassion.

The Forgiveness Garden
By Lauren Thompson, Illustrated by Christy Hale
https://www.librarything.com/work/12855120/book/187254582
Two children from separate, long-feuding villages decide to put aside their hatred and build a forgiveness garden to bridge the gap between their communities and end the cycle of violence.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
By Judith Viorst
https://www.librarything.com/work/29144
On a day when everything goes wrong for him, Alexander is consoled by the thought that other people have bad days too.