National Child Tramautic Stress Network - Trauma Overview

Dr. Mate' did a lecture that I need to watch again.  In it he mentions NAMI...also Dr. Van Der Kolk....will post the info when I find it...thanks for the links..!

Jeff, I remember hearing about the broadcast of the "War of the Worlds" from my parents. What a panic it caused!

Interesting what you've read about NAMI. If you ever find any articles on their affiliations, please feel free to share. I took one of their classes many years ago and had occasion to call them a few times since and was disappointed in their response. I know they support laws like Laura's Law in California which forces treatment on individuals http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laura's_Law. And the San Francisco mayor has considered implementing a version of this law http://acesconnection.com/profiles/blogs/laura-s-law-kqed-this-week. I am very disturbed by the thought of forced treatment.

Chris and Loren..I realize either of you probably never heard the original radio broadcast of "War of the Worlds"..nevertheless..Thankx for the comments...let's keep the conversation ongoing...What I have read about NAMI is disconcerting to say the least, although not completely unexpected.  They are largely funded by big corporate drug companies with and endless supply of financial support to lobby our legislators, representatives, health care, personal, and every private organization willing to listen to their propaganda. 

Aww, you're so kind, Loren! Love your "infographics."  :) Thank you!

You guys are awesome ... It is so great to see both of your passions and opinions !!

I agree with everything you say Jeff. And I always feel the need to voice my concerns when I have a strong reaction to something because others may not see it that way. I'm glad you voiced yours as well. As you said, mainstream media has done a good job of brainwashing us, it's subtle and not everyone can see it. Hence I think it's important that we share our thoughts and concerns here as much as possible since our voices don't get the large platform of the mainstream press. I, also, agree with you about NAMI. It's a parent organization and as much as I have sympathy for their trying experiences with their loved ones, they have an agenda that is not pro-consumer at all. And they have a lot of lobbying power. You are so right when you say our society needs to get a grip on the epidemic of family violence and do something about it since transgenerational transmission is the other end of this viral process. This dialogue warrants keeping this video. I'm grateful to you for bringing to light many relevant issues. And I hope others will learn from this exchange. Thank you!

PS: I know NCTSN is not NAMI and I know of no affiliation.

Just finished a road trip on the bike and had to review what I posted earlier to see if it was a reaction or response...my comment about "this site" is in reference to Aces Connection and the respectful contributions from the staff and members.

Although it feels like I've been advocating for Children's Rights all my life, I am new to making a passionate contribution to the fabic of social media.  It has become more apparent, yes I'm niave and ignorate about certain things, that every time I turn a page on the net another hidden agenda is revealed.  I may be wrong about this, however the source is well respected, the NAMI is actually a Parent's Organization established to create and spread propangda, literature, and impact policy related to the truth about children's mental health.  It's unconscionable, in my opinion, what emotional abuse and neglect has done to children in our culture and society.  It's done covertly and can rarely be proven.  The results take years to manifest and when they do, people are diagnosed with a mental illness and give SSRI or just self medicate with alcohol or street drugs. 

We live in a violent nation among a sub culture that only knows about the 2nd amendment.  Hostility is everywhere and it's an epidemic that no one wants to talk about.  There is no such thing as the "Web" police.  Everyone has their own personal agenda and it's becoming more and more difficult to trust in the integrity, ethics, and moral values or truth behind what I discover in the media and on the net.  Of course, mainstream media has been trying to "brainwash" our minds since the evolution of radio, remember when "War of the Worlds" was broadcast..?  

Thanks Chris for the update on this vid...Of course, I don't work for the NCTSN and posting it was a decision made after learning we had other members registered with the "network".  I realize it is commercial and will be glad to delete it.  Nevertheless, I agree with you about the severe impacts of chronic childhood trauma, my family has experienced it and I am in recovery as well.  Just watched a video on TEDx presented by Barbara Arrowsmith about brain plasticity...my hope is that one day human rights and specifically a "child's" human rights will be respected.  We live in a country where the social standard still allows parents to abuse, neglect, and maltreat "their" children as if they are personal property.  Our culture needs to get a grip on the contributions we are extending to the next generation in relation to this horrifying and tortuous behavior.  I believe this site is only one small step in the process of bringing awareness to the public and our elected, representative officials, the people who make the laws, establish policy, and initiate programs for children and families need to be held more accountable as well....I hope we can continue with this communication and that it "opens a can of worms" for other members to contribute as well..

First off, nothing personal Jeff. I just have a real problem with these videos that are more back-patting, self-congratulatory, and commercial than substantive. NCTSN talks so much about one-off disasters and doesn't differentiate them from interpersonal polyvictimizations which are more damaging and are harder to recover from, if at all.  Sidran has said it best:

Psychological effects are likely to be most severe if the trauma is:

Human caused
Repeated
Unpredictable
Multifaceted
Sadistic
Undergone in childhood
And perpetrated by a caregiver

http://www.sidran.org/sub.cfm?contentID=88&sectionid=4

And it is NOT true that children don't forget their traumas. Children repress severe traumas all the time for self-protection. They need to look up dissociative disorders. 

They also never mentioned how they use survivors as authoritative experts in the work and programs they are creating. At least SAMHSA figured this out and it's a step in the right direction. There are great limitations to using academic experts who have no lived-experience.