CARING FOR THE WHOLE STUDENT: Collective Trauma & Stress in the Classroom

by Dr. Khiela J. Holmes

Hello, EAST community!! It is an honor to engage with such an amazing organization. As a society, we have been through SO much in the past months, including an unprecedented pandemic and social unrest around systemic racism. As a clinical child psychologist who has been trained in trauma-informed therapies and works with educators to create trauma-informed schools, I have been in constant reflection about examining the COVID-19 pandemic and social unrest through a trauma lens. Some might wonder why the word “trauma” would describe how to view this societal moment and why it is essential to approach these crises in a trauma-informed manner. Good question!!

A potentially traumatic event is an experience that a person (of all ages) has or witnesses that presents a threat to his/her safety and security. A notable portion of children in Arkansas had already experienced trauma and adversity before COVID-19. We know that 1 in 7 children experience abuse and neglect in any given year. The following are adverse experiences that Arkansas children have: parental divorce/separation (33% of children in AR), extreme economic hardship (33%), a parent in jail (16%), alcohol/drugs in the home (12%), a person with a mental illness in the home (10%), death of a parent (7%), the victim of or witness violence (5%), or experienced unjust treatment because of race/ethnicity (4%). For these children, the uncertainty, isolation, and losses of COVID added to their already adverse circumstances. For them, this could mean increased concern about abuse and violence, more profound economic hardship and food insecurity, increased substance use in the home, and more intense fear about safety. For those who did not have pre-existing trauma and adversity, COVID-19 has presented new concerns. Among them are:

1. Unemployment in the family,

2. Physical isolation from friends and family,

3. Parental stress,

4. Loss of essential routines, enjoyable activities, and self-care strategies;

5. Death and/or sickness of loved ones; and other direct and indirect stressors.

Using a trauma-informed lens in an education setting means that it is vital to have an awareness of, identify and provide support to not only the students but also the caregivers, teachers, administrators, and school personnel. Traumainformed approaches acknowledge that teachers have to feel safe to teach and students have to feel safe to learn.

This is undoubtedly a stressful and challenging time for everyone…and it is an opportunity to connect with each other as a community, nurture established supportive relationships, build important life skills, innovate and create new routines and approaches, and emerge as visionary and inspirational leaders. One powerful way to do this is to adopt traumainformed strategies. Below are some tips for having a traumainformed lens.

SELF-CARE. We have ALL been through a lot. Please extend compassion and grace to yourself. We are all doing the best we can! Take time to rest and relax, connect with your loved ones, engage in activities you enjoy, get adequate sleep and nutrition, set and maintain boundaries, laugh, and be grateful for the “small things.” It is crucial to support the adults who care for and support children. Be mindful of your emotional health. Notice if you are experiencing increased stress, irritability, a short fuse, worries, fears, decreased motivation, low energy, difficulties thinking clearly, anger, sleep problems, appetite difficulties, grief, and uncertainty during this time. Please seek out the support (supportive friends and family, faith community, mental health professional, etc.) you need during this time.

AWARENESS that COVID-19 and social unrest around racism are potentially traumatic experiences that have created or added feelings of not being safe, uncertainty, fear, worry, and stress. Be aware that these feelings can lead to problematic behaviors. Remember that problematic behavior is a way to communicate and a sign of a lagging or missing skill.

EDUCATE yourself regarding trauma and the impact of trauma on children’s social, emotional, academic, and behavioral functioning. The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (www.nctsn.org) has a wealth of information on these topics!

WATCH for and NOTICE signs of emotional distress. It is essential to highlight that emotional distress related to COVID-19 and systemic racism can manifest for all children from those that are in early childhood (0 to 5 years old) to adolescence. Young children might display changes in behavior, attention, mood, sleeping, eating, toileting, and loss of previously learned skills. Older children may also show concerns with worries, fears, sadness, anger, irritability, difficulties focusing and staying on task, more tired and difficulties with low energy, more withdrawn from peers and school family, emotional outbursts, more academic difficulties, lack of enjoyment from activities, and increased overall emotional and behavioral challenges.

CONNECT with the community. During this very stressful time, it is important to connect with our friends, family, and coworkers. Social connection is powerful! Be intentional about carving out time and ways of connecting with and supporting one another. Celebrate each other’s successes both small or large. Genuinely ask about your coworkers feelings. Extend each other grace during stressful moments. Be helpful with each other where possible.

BUILD critical social-emotional skills through more intentional teaching and modeling. These skills include recognizing and naming emotions, solving problems, managing conflict, seeking adult support as needed, using calming strategies, having perspective-taking skills, and noticing one’s strengths and abilities. It is also important to encourage healthy and effective interactions among students. These techniques will help all students feel safe and position them to be ready to learn!

LEAD with compassion, vision, and clear, honest, and timely communication. If you influence a person or group of people (students, teachers, staff), you are in leadership. Leaders thrive during crises! In times of crisis, people need to have wellarticulated plans (plans for emergencies and upcoming changes), an inspirational and encouraging vision to get behind, and routines and rituals (daily schedule). This can help to alleviate anxiety and uncertainty.

Dr. Khiela J. Holmes received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a specialized concentration in children. She provides psychotherapy and psychological assessment services to individuals aged 6 to 25 with symptoms related to trauma, anxiety, mood, ADHD, and behavioral difficulties. Her primary research interests include cultural variables, trauma, aggression and disruptive behaviors, and the intersection of mental health and faith. Dr. Holmes also has a specific interest in leading organizational change efforts to create trauma-informed systems of care. She is committed to professional service through leadership roles in national and state-level psychology organizations such as the Society for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology Diversity Committee, Arkansas Psychological Association, and the Arkansas Association of Black Psychology Professionals.

khielaj@gmail.com

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Trauma Informed Schools Resources

COVID-19 Trauma Resources

Addressing Race and Trauma in the Classroom