For Pediatric Healthcare Providers

At Phoenix Children’s Center for Resiliency and Wellbeing (CRW), we work with providers to integrate trauma-informed care (TIC) principles into pediatric practice. TIC recognizes that experiences in childhood are common and can affect the brain, body and behavior throughout life. Childhood trauma activates the stress response, helping children survive in the short term, but repeated activation can lead to long-term changes at the molecular, cellular, organ and behavioral levels. Our focus on trauma-informed care for pediatric providers helps ensure that every clinical interaction considers how past experiences shape present health and behavior.

TIC shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” and “How can I support you?” It’s a lens of curiosity and compassion that acknowledges every behavior has an underlying feeling or thought.

Throughout life, the brain makes new nerve connections based on experiences, a process called neuroplasticity. This process is especially pronounced from birth to age 5 and again during puberty. During these sensitive and critical periods of rapid growth, both positive and adverse experiences shape a child’s brain development, structure and neural pathways.

Our CRW specialists offer ACE-related resources for providers and services centered on the evidence-based care model from experts in childhood trauma care. Our shared goal is to foster safety, support and healing for the whole person.

Understanding and addressing adverse childhood experiences in pediatrics is at the heart of our mission. We identify ACE-related risks early and work to reduce their long-term effects through evidence-based interventions.

Types of ACEs

Public health officials originally identified the following 10 primary ACEs that can change the health, wellbeing and lives of children and teens: 

• Sexual abuse
• Verbal abuse
• Physical neglect
• Emotional neglect
• Depressed or mentally ill family member
• Family member addicted to alcohol or drugs
• Imprisoned family member  
• Witnessing a mother being abused
• Losing a parent to separation, divorce or death

Health experts now recognize additional ACEs, including poverty, housing instability, bullying, racism and experiences of exclusion or not belonging.

Associated Risks of ACEs

Our multiphase approach is designed to prevent or lessen the impact of toxic stress and reduce the risk of related complications, such as:

• Academic challenges and/or underperformance 

• Aggression or disruptive behaviors

• Anxiety, depression and mood disorders

• Eating disorders, including anorexia, bulimia and binge eating  

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Tobacco use

• Substance use disorder and other addictive behaviors

• Suicidal thoughts or behaviors or thoughts of self harm

CRW specialists at Phoenix Children’s follow an “Integrated and Integrative” care model. This model supports pediatric resilience building by helping children adapt and recover from challenges through inner strengths, supportive relationships and strategies that promote wellbeing.

To us, resilience means a child’s ability to adapt and recover from challenges by drawing on inner strengths, supportive relationships and strategies that foster safety and wellbeing. We use both the well-known medical and mental health model (Integrated) and an evidence based complementary care model (Integrative).

Every care plan is highly individualized. We provide resilience-building education, care and treatment. Our goal is to promote wellbeing, respond to trauma-related needs with compassion and help prevent future adversity wherever possible.

Learn more about how our Integrated and Integrative approach can support your patients and their families below. 

Our CRW team begins by working to understand the dynamics of each child or teen within their respective family system. We do this through a comprehensive wellness evaluation to capture the unique mental, physical, environmental and social aspects of each family. We look at family strengths, needs and positive, protective factors, including:

• Appropriate developmental expectations for the child
• Caregiver knowledge and understanding of positive parenting
• Relationship with nurturing and predictable caregivers
• Family and community support systems
• Parental resilience
• Practical resources available to the family
• A shared sense of purpose and meaning

Recognizing that each patient’s path may be different, we gently introduce and explore ways to support healing and build resilience. Together, we practice strategies that can help strengthen emotional, mental and physical wellbeing.

Our approach includes:

• Breathing exercises that support the body and mind in returning to a more regulated state and settle the nervous system during stressful moments
• Lifestyle practices, like sleep, nutrition and movement, as ways to support emotional and physical wellbeing
• Sensory techniques (touch, sight, sound, smell or movement) to promote regulation and a sense of safety
• Practice listening to the body’s messages (body sensations) to guide, and empower, the ability for self-care and regulation
• Support emotional literacy skills so children can recognize, understand and share their feelings in ways that feel safe
• Encourage self-kindness practices that nurture self-worth and reduce self-criticism
• Provide confidence-building experiences that strengthen children’s trust in their own abilities
• Acts of kindness that foster connection, empathy and a sense of purpose
   

Our mental health providers, referred to as resiliency counselors, provide compassionate, personalized support to help children and families navigate the effects of trauma and stress. Using the Integrated and Integrative Care Model, they focus on the whole child, addressing emotional, physical and social needs, while working alongside caregivers to build skills, strengthen relationships and promote long-term wellbeing. The Resiliency Counselors provide trauma specific therapy for up to two years. If further therapy is needed, we connect families with trusted counseling services.

Our team helps children and families by:

• Addressing challenges and teaching ways to deal with and recover from difficult situations 
• Fostering utilization of natural supports and resources and offering connections to community resources
• Help in promoting safe, stable and nurturing relationships that are reliable and consistent
• Strengthening self-regulation and co-regulation skills so children and caregivers can manage thoughts, emotions and behaviors in healthy, goal-oriented ways
• Fostering trauma healing through a developmental lifespan approach that meets children where they are in their growth
• Supporting the caregiver’s capacity to meet the child’s needs through parent processing and skill development
• Supporting continuity of care by providing additional resources and follow-up support when needed