Every Child's Champion

Anxiety, Depression, and the Polyvagal Theory: My Story

March 04, 2022 Sara Beach

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In this podcast, Sara shares her own personal history with trauma, depression, and anxiety, and introduces what she has learned about the different ways children cope with trauma. Why do some children have hairpin triggers, lashing out at their classmates, teachers, and virtually anyone else who tries to set limits on their behavior? On the other hand, why are some children “walled off,” aloof, or mostly disconnected from others, socially?

Humans are social beings, and we all need other people. When children experience scary, stressful situations in their lives, this can impact the ways they relate to others, and we see this regularly with some children who have great difficulty adapting to basic Pre-K expectations. The Polyvagal Theory provides a framework for understanding the many complex behaviors teachers are faced with on a daily basis, as well as the most helpful ways for responding to them. So in this podcast, we look at the different response patterns that are built-in to all of us, and how things like abuse, neglect, or chronically high-stress levels can set children up for some very maladaptive social behaviors. We also talk about the primary solution to helping these children adapt and learn how to interact in more socially acceptable ways.

Make sure you tune in to this podcast, share it with colleagues, as we discover the inner secrets of being Every Child’s Champion!

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A Play Therapist’s Perspective on the Impacts of Trauma on Children’s Behavior, Ep22