Call For Presentations
Call for PresentationsTSS2023 ConferenceProposal Deadline: June 30, 2022 Conference Dates: February 19-24, 2023 In-person Portion: Feb 19-21, 2023 – Hilton
Partnerships
ATN is excited to announce strategic alliances with our trusted partners. On this page you will find an updated list
ATN’s COVID-19 Response
TOUCHING TRAUMA AT ITS HEART EMPOWERING TRAUMA-INFORMED FAMILIES, SCHOOLS, AND COMMUNITIES You are not alone ATN knows that the social
ATN Announces New PD Collaborative
The Attachment & Trauma Network (ATN) is pleased to launch our Professional Development Collaborative (PD Collaborative), a highly talented group
6th Annual Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conference
Largest Gathering of Trauma-Informed Educators
BUILDING RESILIENCE & IMPROVING CHILDREN’S OUTCOMES
SAVE THE DATE: FEBRUARY 19-24, 2023
The Importance of ATN's Work:
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Are Impacted
62% of all Americans have at least 1 ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences). ACEs left unaddressed can have a lasting impact on children’s mental health, behaviors, chronic disease and social outcomes.
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Visitors
ATN’s resources are accessed by over 10,000 parents seeking trauma-informed help each year.
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Educators
1700 educators from across the US and around the world learn trauma-informed strategies at our annual conference.
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Children Referred for Abuse
National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System reports up to 5.5 million children referred to CPS for abuse or neglect annually. Our work is far from done!
ATN Resources
Parenting
Therapeutic Parenting - Empowering Trauma-Informed, Attachment-Focused Caregiving
Schools
Creating School-wide Trauma-Informed Reform led by Trauma-Focused Educators
Resource Directory
A comprehensive online directory of trauma-informed, attachment-focused helping professionals
PD Collaborative
Are you seeking trauma-informed Professional Development Training or Consultations for your School?
TSS Conference
Annual Creating Trauma Sensitive Schools Conference.
Podcast
Listen to our Bi-monthly Podcast on Trauma-Informed and Therapeutic Strategies
Shop ATN
Shop for resources and tools to empower and support children, families, schools and communities
Get Involved
Join ATN - Together we can end the silence around childhood trauma!
Early Childhood Trauma
Trauma is defined as an “event outside normal human experience”. These events are generally emotionally painful and distressing, and overwhelm a person’s ability to cope, leaving him/her powerless. Feeling powerless is an important concept when trying to understand trauma – especially as you apply it to trauma in children. Many think of trauma as the result of a specific “event.” But, being impacted by trauma has more to do with how your brain and body react to the situations. Early childhood trauma often falls into the realm of chronic traumatic stress, especially in situations where children are exposed to repeated neglect, abuse and maltreatment.
What is Early Childhood Trauma?
What is healthy attachment?
Understanding How Attachment & Trauma are Connected
Attachment can be defined as a reciprocal relationship. In child development, it generally refers to the relationship that develops first between the infant/child and his primary caregiver (often Mother). The quality of this attachment impacts the child’s physical, emotional, psychological and cognitive development. This early relationship shapes the child’s basic ability to trust and how positively or negatively he views the world, himself and others. Attachment also influences a child’s ability to self-regulate. Children with attachment disorders have been impacted by significant trauma. Children impacted by significant trauma need stable relationships to help them heal.
Disorders-Treatments
The most important component in helping a traumatized child to heal is a strong, therapeutic parent (primary caregiver). You can learn more about becoming a Therapeutic Parenting.
The second most important component is trauma-sensitive, attachment-focused therapy. ATN actively encourages ALL families to work with therapists who specialize in attachment & trauma.
The field of childhood trauma is evolving. Children impacted by traumatic stress and those with attachment challenges may carry many diagnoses (or none at all). PTSD, ADHD, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Developmental Trauma, Conduct Disorder and more. Focusing on healing the trauma and building resilience through attachment/relationships is critical for all of these children.
Disorders-Treatments
Recent Posts
Thanks for a GREAT TSS2022ATN
The 5th Annual Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conference was a fantastic example of being flexible and relational on so many levels. This year’s conference was an asynchronous hybrid, meaning that some attendees joined us in-person in Houston for our pre-conference sessions
Calm Kit Service Project a Success
On Sunday, February 20, over 100 educators attending the 5th Annual Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conference in Houston assembled more than 500 Calm Kits to give to classrooms in the Houston area as well as to take back to their own
Team R&R
At ATN we know that R&R (regulated & relational) are at the core of creating and maintain a trauma-informed (and trauma-responsive) environment. It’s an on-going process. So each of us needs help and companions on this journey. That’s what Team
Secretary Cardona to Address Largest Gathering of Trauma-Informed Educators
US Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona will address attendees of the 5th Annual Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools Conference on Tuesday, Feb 22, 2022. The conference will be held both in Houston, TX and virtually. Sec. Cardona will join via internet on
Partnerships
ATN is excited to announce strategic alliances with our trusted partners. On this page you will find an updated list of of organizations and services to help support our members.
Meet Kimberly
Kimberly Smathers has 18 years of experience – as a business and community leader, consultant, and researcher – in working toward person-centered and equitable approaches to enhancing health and well-being. She is currently a Vice President at OptumServe Consulting, where
Support • Education • Advocacy
The Attachment & Trauma Network, a 2016 Angel in Adoption® Recipient “Trauma-Informed “Trailblazer” has been the VOICE for traumatized children and their families since 1995. Through our mission of Support – Education – Advocacy, we seek to improve the lives of children impacted by early childhood trauma, abuse and neglect, and prenatal exposures in their families, schools and communities. We believe that trauma-informed, attachment-focused therapy and teaching parents therapeutic parenting strategies are significant factors in helping our children overcome their early traumas and build resiliency and healthy relationships. We believe that trauma-informed schools are the best educational environment for all children, but especially the significant population of children impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs).
Who is ATN?
What others are saying about ATN:
Each year I have more children with less social/emotional development. Trauma-Informed classroom strategies have helped me improve both the academic and behavioral outcomes of my students.
Attachment and Trauma Network saved my family!
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