Action > Awareness
Yes, mental health awareness is the first step, but we've been taking this step for decades, and it's not getting us the results we need.
Children who have experienced significant trauma and loss are slipping through the cracks every day.
Many are being labeled as “oppositional and defiant,” “manipulative,” "hyperactive," and “emotionally disturbed” instead of being acknowledged for suffering from trauma, abuse, and neglect.
Children’s behavioral struggles often aren’t mental health problems, they’re trust and safety problems, they're relational problems, they're TRAUMA problems.
The vast majority of adults still believe infants/toddlers "won’t remember what happened to them," and therefore, infancy and early years are irrelevant to their mental health, regardless of the trauma they’ve endured.
As a child trauma therapist, I know this is bullsh*t. Infants and young children hold implicit memories in their brains and nervous systems that *can* manifest later as trauma responses, aka “behavioral problems.”
And we’re throwing the term “resilience” around like it’s some magic shield that protects kids from the trauma and adversity adults perpetuate.
Our children deserve more than World Mental Health awareness. They deserve protection and healing.
While awareness is crucial, it means little without action.
#WorldMentalHealthDay #ChildhoodTrauma #childwelfare
Board Certified Pediatric Physical Therapist
1yOoooh this looks so good!! Thanks for sharing!! I’ll see if I can catch it on my lunch break tomorrow!!