Trauma resources

Resources for parents, caregivers and families

Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 
2-1-1 Mental Health Crisis Line Information
Text HOPELINE to 741741

Top Recommended Resources

American Academy of Pediatrics: Healthy Children

• Talking to Children about Tragedies & Other News Events

Children’s Wisconsin

• How to Talk to Kids about Trauma 

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

• Collection of handouts, including parent tips based on age
• Offers tips to parents on how to help young children, toddlers, and preschoolers heal after a traumatic event
• Trauma and your Family

National Institute of Mental Health

• Helping Children and Adolescents Cope with Disasters and Other Traumatic Events: What Parents, Rescue Workers, and the Community Can Do
  

Additional recommended resources

American Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)

• Disaster and Trauma Resource Center 

Center for Disease and Prevention (CDC)

• Coping after a Disaster Workbook 

Child Mind Institute

• Helping Children Cope with Frightening News

Explaining the News to Our Kids (considerations by age range) 

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

• Psychological First Aid for Schools: Handouts for Students
• Complex Trauma: Facts for Caregivers

GLBT National Youth Talk Line: 1-800-246-7743 (M-F 3-11pm, Sat 11-4 CST telephone, chat and email support, local resources) 

National Association of School Psychologists (NASP)

• Talking to Children About Violence:  Tips for Parents and Teachers

National Public Radio (NPR)

• What To Say To Kids When The News Is Scary – Jan 2020 

Nurturing Yourself When You are Grieving

Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)

• National education and support group. English and Spanish 

Talking to Kids about Tragedies (Such as Shootings and Terror Attacks) in the News (NCSCB) 

Trevor Project (hotline/textline for LGBTQ+ youth) 

A Tool to Help Clients Calm the Nervous System with Deb Dana, LCSW – (Video 5:54) 

Resources for healthcare professionals

Disaster Distress Helpline: 1-800-985-5990
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255
Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

American Academy of Pediatrics

• Primary Care Trauma Toolbox
• Trauma and Resilience
• Trauma-Informed Care

Healthcare Toolbox

• Medical Trauma 

National Child Traumatic Stress Network

• 12 Core Concepts: Understanding Traumatic Stress Responses in Children and Families
• Secondary Traumatic Stress
• Self Care and Secondary Trauma for Providers 

Other Published Articles:

• Trauma-Informed Care (Pediatrics, August 2021)
• Providing Psychosocial Support to Children and Families in the Aftermath of Disasters and Crises (Pediatrics, October 2015) 

Self-care video resources

• 2 Minute Re-Centering Mindfulness Meditation for De-stressing (Video 2:03 minutes)
• Beautiful Relaxing Guitar Music by Yasmin Williams (NPR Tiny Desk) (Video 23:14 minutes)
• Dr. Neff Self Compassion Loving Kindness Meditation (Audio 20 mins)