Phone a Friend 1.0: Trauma Sensitive Strategies from an Occupational Therapist

Written by Dr. Sheryl Butler, MA, OTD, OTR/L , OT Connections Minnesota 

Hello Dear Readers,

Today we have a real treat for you. Dr. Butler has written an incredible post from her OT brain on strategies that can be helpful in the days after trauma. These are real, practical things you can do to help yourself, your kid, or anyone else you care about.

Here it is:

Trauma healing occurs in layers. When children are traumatized, the most important thing we can do is create a safe haven and a sense of safety for them to land. 

Each individual handles traumatizing events in different ways. When a child has experienced an extremely traumatizing event, it may take a very long time to be able to process and understand what happened. 

Coregulation is key. Think of a mother and an infant - when a baby cries we hold them, hug them, swaddle them, rock them, sing to them, and provide a calming presence. Now is a good time to default to all those things your child loved when they were younger. 

We use body-based sensory strategies to “activate” those calming systems and “deactivate” alerting systems. 

Our proprioceptive system, the input we receive through our muscles and our joints, helps to inform our brain where we are in space. The activation of that system makes us feel calmer and more grounded. 

• Sometimes you may hear the term “heavy work” which means activation of this system by activities which incorporate pushing, pulling, lifting, and carrying. 

• You can do lots of heavy work through movement:

○ walking, running, jumping, bike riding 

○ playing sports (kicking a soccer ball, shooting a basketball, catching) 

○ dancing, climbing, sliding, and even hanging from the monkey bars. - 

○ Take a walk to the park and enjoy the playground. 

○ This input lasts for 1.5 to 2 hours, so more is more. 

• Other ways to “activate” calming:

  • Weighted blankets 

  • Snuggling up inside of a warm, fuzzy blanket

  • Long hugs 

  • Pillow pushes 

  • Massage, back rubs, warm bath 

Healing from traumatic events takes time and doesn’t often happen in a linear way. One of the most important factors in supporting your child is to take care of yourself. Find ways to connect with the people and things that make you feel safe. The key to sustaining caregivers is to show yourself self-compassion, so you can be there for your child.

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A big THANK YOU to Dr. Butler for sharing her wisdom us. It takes a village.

You can also follow along on instagram for a matching daily post.

With great courage and care,

Dr. Meghan & Scout

As with all my posts, this post is for informational and educational purposes only. It is not a substitute for professional diagnosis or treatment. You reading this does not constitute a therapeutic relationship. If you have concerns about your or your child’s safety or well-being, please reach out to a licensed provider or crisis resource.