Fox Valley Trauma Informed Symposium [Oshkosh, WI]

A workshop next week in Oshkosh aims to help people decipher and treat earlier trauma that may be the root cause of troubles in someone's life today.

Neenah-based Reach Counseling Services Inc. and the N.E.W. Mental Health Connection will host a workshop Tuesday and Wednesday on the effects of psychological trauma, which can last for years after a traumatic childhood experience or being the victim of a crime. It's the first workshop with this focus in the Fox Valley, said Amanda Scripture, Reach Counseling fund development specialist.

Sessions include lessons on the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, trauma in LGBTQ clients, the dynamics of being trafficked and the use of yoga for traumatized youth.

"When people are acting out, or they are having suicidal thoughts, or if they're practicing self-harm or they are involved drugs and alcohol, crime — all of the things that we see as being anti-social or criminal behaviors — a lot of that can be traced back to a childhood trauma," Scripture said, "and never addressing that in a trauma-informed way."

Providers have in recent years become more aware and focused on the effects trauma as a child or even an infant can have throughout one's life. For example, women in prostitution, often victims of trafficking, were overwhelmingly victims of childhood sexual assault earlier in their lives, Scripture said.

Roughly 185 people are registered and registration is still open. Reach Counseling is offering discounts for professionals like teachers and foster care parents who may come into contact with people who experienced childhood trauma that affects their behavior. Scripture said the goal of the symposium is to raise awareness throughout the community of the effect of trauma and the care it requires.

The event is at the Best Western Premier Waterfront Hotel.

[Written by Katherine Lymn, PostCrescent.com]

[For further information go to http://www.foxvalleytraumasymp...com/phone/about.html]