Trauma-Informed Care

Trauma-Informed Care for Children, Adolescents, and Families

Children and adolescents can experience trauma from various events such as loss, separation, medical issues, bullying, community violence, family conflicts, neglect, abuse, instability, or overwhelming life changes. Trauma isn't always visible as fear or sadness; it might appear as anxiety, anger, withdrawal, concentration issues, sleep disturbances, school avoidance, emotional outbursts, perfectionism, or difficulty trusting others. Trauma-informed care involves offering compassionate, evidence-based support that acknowledges how stress, adversity, loss, and trauma can impact emotions, behavior, learning, relationships, and development. For families who want to better understand how early adversity can affect development and well-being, the CDC offers a helpful overview of Adverse Childhood Experiences.

At Talbot Psychology Alliance, we engage with children and families with curiosity, compassion, and respect, aiming to help children feel safe, develop coping skills, strengthen relationships, and foster resilience in home, school, and community contexts.

What trauma-informed means at TPA

Safety

We help create predictable, supportive environments where children know what to expect.

Trust and connection

We build relationships slowly and respectfully, recognizing that trust may take time.

Choice and collaboration

We involve children, caregivers, educators, and community partners in care planning whenever appropriate.

Skill-building

We support emotional regulation, coping strategies, problem-solving, communication, and resilience.

Family and school support

We help adults understand behavior through a developmental and trauma-informed lens.

TPA’s approach is informed by nationally recognized trauma-informed principles, including safety, trust, choice, collaboration, and cultural responsiveness. Learn more about SAMHSA’s trauma-informed approach.

Explore Trauma-Informed Support at TPA

Trauma-informed care can look different depending on the needs of the child, family, school, or organization. Some people are looking for therapy or family support. Others are seeking training, consultation, school-based support, or practical tools for grounding and emotional regulation.

Children, Teens, and Families

Support for children, teens, and caregivers navigating stress, trauma, grief, emotional regulation, school avoidance, family strain, or major life changes. Our approach emphasizes safety, trust, choice, nervous-system awareness, and respect for each child’s way of learning, communicating, and coping.

Foster Parents and Caregivers

Educational presentations for foster parents, kinship caregivers, adoptive families, and caregiver groups. Topics may include trauma responses, emotional regulation, felt safety, challenging behavior, placement transitions, and caring for children with trauma histories and neurodivergent needs.

Foster, kinship, adoptive, and caregiving families may also find this federal resource helpful: Parenting a child who has experienced trauma.

Schools and Youth Programs

Consultation for schools and youth programs that want trauma-informed approaches to handle student behavior, emotional regulation, neurodivergent needs, and classroom or program organization. Our support helps adults respond with more understanding, consistency, and compassion.

For school partners, the Maryland State Department of Education provides guidance on trauma-informed approaches in Maryland schools.

Who This May Help

This program may support children and adolescents who are experiencing anxiety, worry, panic, emotional outbursts, irritability, withdrawal, or shutdown. Trauma-related stress can also appear as difficulty concentrating, school avoidance, academic decline, sleep difficulties, or challenges with emotional regulation. Children and teens may also benefit from this support when they are navigating grief, loss, major life transitions, medical stress, family stress, community-related stress, or difficulties with trust and relationships.

Families looking for additional education about child trauma may also find resources through the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

How Services May be Delivered

Our trauma-informed approach may be integrated into a range of Talbot Psychology Alliance services, including individual and family therapy, school-based mental health services, caregiver consultation, group therapy, and professional training. When appropriate, we also collaborate with educators, pediatricians, and community partners to help ensure that children and adolescents receive coordinated, compassionate support across home, school, and community settings.