TIC (November, 2018)
Chronic Trauma:
The Thanksgiving holiday is a perfect time of year to kick off a new habit of practicing gratitude! Consider the power of positive thoughts. Positive thinking leads to positive feelings and actions. School personnel can model gratitude, service to others, and empower students to “give back” so that they are part of a caring community. Educators can help students with “I have…” “I can…” “I will…” statements, focused on positive strengths and the small things in our lives that we can all be thankful for. For example, “I have people at school who care about me.” “I can ____ at home to help out.” “I will practice mindfulness to manage my emotions.” “I will appreciate the things I have.”
According to ACES Connection.com, “an attitude of gratitude can be an important part of everyday living. The regular routine of appreciation and expressing gratitude daily is a healthy practice for everyone, but offers even more value and healing for children living with inter-generational trauma in the home.” According to Claudia Black, gratitude may not come easily for students who have experienced trauma: “Sometimes, it may feel simply impossible to see the positive in a given situation or to have gratitude for your position in life. We may feel like the world is intent on sending us obstacles and gratitude may seem out of reach. What’s ironic is that gratitude is just what we may need to conjure up solutions to life’s challenges.”