Trauma in Teens

Help your teen go from guarded and fearful to feeling safe and connected. 

Trauma shatters a person’s world. It disrupts their sense of safety and connection in the world. It leaves people feeling on edge and fearful. Seeing your teenager go through a trauma or traumas can be heart-wrenching. You want so badly to help your child to overcome what they have experienced, yet you feel at a complete loss of how to help. 

Trauma can impact your teen’s emotions and behaviors. These changes might be quite drastic or perhaps more subtle. 

Some behaviors you may see your teen exhibiting could include:

  • hypervigilance

  • jumpiness

  • guardedness and defensiveness

  • withdrawal from family and peers

  • avoidance of trauma related reminders 

  • angry outbursts and aggression

  • sleep difficulties whether sleeping too much or not enough 

 They may also be experiencing things like:

  • nightmares

  • flashbacks

  • body memories

  • jitteriness 

  • dissociation (checking out) 

  • feeling numb

  • lack of pleasure in previously enjoyable activities 

  • lack of hope in the future 

Trauma can be mistaken for:

  • bipolar disorder

  • ADHD 

  • schizophrenia 

  • depression

  • anxiety

  • OCD 

  • ODD or Conduct disorder

Whatever trauma or adversity your teen may have experienced, we can help. We believe in a connection-based approach with your teen. Behavior management might help some teens with changing their behaviors, but it doesn’t change their hearts or whether they feel safe or not. We build connection with your teen so that they can feel safe and seen. Additionally we help your teen develop coping skills to help manage overwhelming thoughts, feelings, and sensations. Once your teen is better able to manage their trauma symptoms we can move on to process the painful events from the past that are driving trauma symptoms. At Safe Haven, we help your teen go from fearful, jumpy, and withdrawn to feeling safe and grounded again. This allows your teen to go on to live a meaningful, happy life. 

We believe you are part of the answer and believe in incorporating parents into treatment when possible. We help parents develop new relational skills that help develop a stronger bond between you and your teen. We ask that parents be available to participate in a session at least once a month.