Trauma Blog

Developmental Traumatology: Trauma and Fetal Alcohol Exposure: Neurodevelopmental ‎Implications
StressPoints
As awareness of how childhood trauma affects neurodevelopment grows, questions arise about symptom complexity and how neurodevelopment is affected by other comorbid conditions. Youth exposed to toxic stress from early, severe and/or chronic maltreatment can show alterations in brain structure and connectivity that impact cognition, emotion regulation and stress reactivity (Teicher & Samson, 2016). However, neurodevelopment is also influenced by genetics and other types of adversity, including in utero exposure to substances. As child maltreatment co-occurs frequently with parental substance use and prenatal alcohol exposure, understanding the relationship between the two is important to differential diagnosis and treatment.

Clinician’s Corner: Facilitating Posttraumatic Growth Through Participation in a ‎Speakers’ Collective: Clinical Implications for Supporting the Survivor’s Mission‎
StressPoints
Communities Healing and Transforming Trauma (CHATT) is a speakers’ collective developed at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Trauma Recovery Center (TRC). The UCSF TRC was founded in 2001 to test a new model of comprehensive services for victims of crime that integrates assertive outreach, clinical case management and trauma-informed, evidence-based mental health services. TRC also provides coordination, advocacy and linkage to help survivors navigate complex systems and access the resources they need to heal, including medical, legal and other services. It was developed as an alternative to the claims-based crime victim compensation model that was not accessible for the majority of victims, and it was initially funded as a pilot program by state legislation for five years.

SIG Spotlight: ISTSS Trauma & Technology Special Interest Group
StressPoints
Technology has been integrated into research and clinical services for traumatic stress populations for decades. However, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in an exponential shift to virtual work for many researchers, clinicians and health care providers as they continued to enroll participants in ongoing research, engage patients in trauma-informed mental health services, or conduct other day-to-day responsibilities. This global health crisis presented a critical need for mental health service systems to make digital health resources available and accessible to individuals following traumatic events.

Trauma and Diversity: Housing Insecurity and Trauma Exposure among Veterans: Understanding Health and ‎Functional Impact from an Intersectional Lens
StressPoints
Addressing the psychosocial impact of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and housing insecurity remain top priorities within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). Indeed, the VA has made substantial gains in addressing these factors. For example, from 2010 to 2016, rates of veteran homelessness reduced by 47% (Department of Housing and Urban Development & VA, 2021). Moreover, the VA has widely disseminated a number of effective, evidence-based treatments for PTSD, including cognitive processing and prolonged exposure therapies (Karlin et al., 2010).

President's Message
StressPoints
While things are usually slow over the summer (at least in the Northern Hemisphere I should add), I am grateful that the various ISTSS committees and task forces have been working hard on proposing plans to implement recommendations stemming from our Membership Engagement Task Force and Data Committee which conducted the Membership Survey.

Military Matters: The Importance of Brief Trauma-Focused Treatment within Substance Use ‎Disorder Specialty Care: Written Exposure Therapy (WET)‎
StressPoints
There are high rates of trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among treatment-seeking veterans with substance use disorders (SUD). The process of re-integrating into the civilian world while coping with psychological and physical conditions may increase the likelihood that veterans will develop substance problems.^1,2 Comorbid PTSD contributes to poor SUD treatment outcomes and is associated with worse overall mental and physical health, including high rates of suicide and higher rates of relapse to alcohol and drugs.^2,3

Student Perspectives: Graduating and Interning During COVID-19: What Does the ‎Next Generation of Clinicians Need to Take on This Challenge?‎
StressPoints
With the rapid rollout of safe and effective vaccines against COVID-19 worldwide, the world can breathe easier. Unfortunately, as this global threat is receding, its impact on mental health is becoming increasingly apparent. The problem is such that some experts speak of an “echo pandemic” (Canadian Mental Health Association, 2020). For example, rates of self-reported depression, anxiety and psychological distress have been steadily rising since the beginning of the pandemic (Dozois, 2020). Unfortunately, though vulnerable people and their families will likely need health care and mental health workers, these professionals also show signs of significant strain (Malvardy et al., 2021; Spoorthy et al., 2020). Specifically, rates of anxiety, depression, sleep disorders and posttraumatic stress are soaring among health care workers (Malvardy et al., 2021).

Trauma and World Literature: Behold the Dark Gray Man: Triumphs and Trauma: The Controversial Life of Sholto ‎Douglas by Katharine Campbell, PhD
StressPoints
Sholto, Lord Douglas of Kirtleside, was a Royal Air Force fighter pilot in WWI. He also served as the senior British officer in WWII in Fighter Command, the Middle East, in Coastal Command, and as military governor and Commander in Chief of the British Zone in occupied Germany. Lord Douglas had to pass judgement on the fate not only of the Nuremberg war criminals but also of others sentenced to death by military government courts in the British Zone.