Child Abuse and Trauma Reading List
A list of books to help caregivers/parents and their child learn more about child abuse, trauma, and trauma-informed practices together.
An Honest Approach to Foster Care
Roxanne and Stanley never considered being foster parents, but were inspired when Roxanne's brother and wife needed some extra support. When Nexus-Woodbourne’s Foster Treatment Program reached out to Roxanne and Stanley to be full-time foster parents in 2016, they agreed.
Understanding Childhood Trauma
You may have heard phrases such as “childhood trauma” or “traumatic experience”. But what really is trauma? And how does it affect us? Unfortunately, childhood trauma is incredibly common as one in four children in our community will experience a traumatic event before the age of 16.
Making Mental Health Care Accessible for Children
Nexus-Gerard provides outpatient and community mental health treatment services in southern Minnesota, including in Austin Public Schools. Read how Melissa's sons have been able to receive accessible mental health services right inside their school.
Childhood Trauma Is Not Just a Mental Health Problem
Exposure to continuous trauma causes the body’s alarm system to be easily triggered, releasing stress hormones that interfere with reasoning and activate that flight, fight, or freeze response. Children cannot learn or get along with friends or family members when living in a constant state of fight, flight or freeze. Rather, their goal is to survive.
Rebuilding Relationships
Nine-year-old Marcy* was experiencing significant behavioral, attendance, and academic difficulties in school. Her parents were separated and struggled with mental health issues and substance abuse. Marcy’s mother had full custody of Marcy, but they were facing eviction. Due to these struggles, Marcy was referred to Nexus-PATH’s School-Based Targeted Case Management (SB-TCM), a strengths-based service designed to support and supplement traditional supports available in the school. SB-TCM’s goals are to enhance the student’s functioning within their home, school, and community.
It’s Spring – So Why Aren’t You Happy?
Over the past several years humanity has learned how to become resilient in isolation. Many of our face-to-face interactions and relationships were severed during COVID and as a result, we have developed long-term habitual loneliness. So how do we recover? To state it simply, a first step is "do then feel".
What to Pack in Your Family Emergency Bag
Prepare a family emergency bag with your children to reassure safety and protection in case of an emergency.
Emergency and Disaster Preparedness for Your Family’s Mental and Physical Health
Natural and man-made disasters in recent news can cause stress, especially for children. As a parent, it’s important to remember that your reactions to these disasters can impact the way your child views the world around them. Remain calm, give yourself time to process and create a plan that works for your family.
What Is Self-Harm?
Luke Spiegelhoff, Clinical Director Specialist, shares information on the types of self-harm, warning signs, differences between self-harm and suicidal ideation, and how to help someone who struggles with self-harm.