Triple P & Trauma Presented at: CA Triple P Statewide Conference Call June 7, 2017 Andrew Pari, L.C.S.W., Diplomate Sexual Assault Awareness, LLC www.sexualassaultawareness.org

Agenda How Triple P directly relates to Trauma-Informed Care Review TIC with 5 Key Principles of Triple P Use of Triple P’s strength-based concepts Related concepts and discussion

Being Trauma-Informed SAMHSA’s Six Key Principles of a Trauma-Informed Approach: A trauma-informed approach reflects adherence to six key principles rather than a prescribed set of practices or procedures. These principles may be generalizable across multiple types of settings, although terminology and application may be setting- or sector-specific. Safety Trustworthiness and Transparency Family & Peer support Collaboration and mutuality Empowerment, voice and choice Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues

Five Core Principles of Triple P Ensuring a safe, interesting environment Creating a positive learning environment Using assertive discipline Having realistic expectations a. Realistic expectations are rooted in an understand of the child’s development and how interruptions to development affect growth Taking care of oneself as a parent What parallels do you see with the SAMHSA Principles?

Applying Triple P to Trauma Research shows family/community support to be paramount in addressing trauma impact. Family support is more important than treatment. Children routinely list family attachment over any other quality giving their lives meaning (housing, money, material possessions, friendships, etc.) These are congruent with Triple P Values!

Types of Trauma Sexual abuse Physical abuse Neglect Emotional/Verbal abuse Bullying Institutional (school/team) Betrayal Lack of social acceptance for personal characteristics (height, weight, sexual orientation, etc.) Coming out process for LBGTQA* Youth Other?

Triple P-Trauma Prioritizes Strengths-Based Components Developing Positive Relationships Encouraging Desirable Behavior Teaching New Skills & Behavior

Developing Positive Relationships Quality Time Children will feel safe to disclose in the context of attachment #Start by Believing Talking to Children Learn to discuss body agency, positive touch, good feeling/bad feeling Use love language-”I love you no matter what.” “You love you no matter what.” Give them language to communicate what they like about themselves Encourage open communication about uncomfortable experiences In other words, a child won’t tell us about abuse if they can’t tell us they’ve been teased Show Affection Use positive touch together with verbal affection; hugs, pats, kisses, cuddles Children are able to contrast what they like with what they don’t when disclosing

Encouraging Desirable Behavior Descriptive Praise Use supportive, non-shaming language when a child discloses something awkward or uncomfortable Praise their ability to come forward, be assertive, use resources for protection such as adults Giving Attention Show them you hear them, not only say it Show concern, sadness, anger for and with them They will understand how serious you take their concerns by your non-verbal as well as verbal response Advocate to stay with them if exams and reports are needed, but understand if the child wants to do this on their own Be there in the way they need you Provide Engaging Activities Include books and games around assertive self, prioritizing personal safety, caring for others If tests and reports are needed, prepare them ahead of time just as you would for any appointment they’ve never had

Teaching New Skills & Behavior Setting a Good Example Demonstrate your own self-care Use assertive language when appropriate Talk about difficult situations openly to show how Showing them how doesn’t mean involving them inappropriately (DV, marital problems) Incidental Teaching Give child your full attention when they appear scared, anxious, uncomfortable Verbalize understanding for how hard it is to talk about some things Provide prompts (“Are you scared to tell me?” “Did someone hurt you?” “I love you no matter what you tell me.”) Yes/No prompts are more effective than open-ended discussions Praise them for any amount of information they are able to provide Provide clear options and direction for what will happen next Remember that, especially in sexual abuse, consent has been ignored and MUST be prioritized in any response/intervention. When possible, The Child Chooses! Ask, Say, Do In the case of trauma, Ask/Say/Do may take the form of learning what resources and interventions can help in addition to parental support These are opportunities for parents to balance care-taking with teaching valuable self-support skills

Related Concepts Traditional methods of trauma treatment are individually-based. This approach prioritizes parent as primary source of support while respecting child’s autonomy. Teen Triple P and its focus on building autonomy. Use of Level 5 to address parent barriers and bias to prioritizing children’s needs over their beliefs.

Andrew Pari, LCSW, Diplomate Thank You! Andrew Pari, LCSW, Diplomate 661/874-7950 andrewgpari@gmail.com www.sexualassaultawareness.org