YWCA of Spokane

Healing for kids who've seen hard things

Some kids in Spokane have seen lots of rough things. Child Advocacy at the YWCA of Spokane is about supporting healing and thriving in kids who have experienced complex trauma.

• One-on-one and family counseling

• Educational and supportive groups for moms
  

• A fun and healing group for kids who have seen hard things
  

Contact the Child Advocate at 509-789-9309 for more information.

Impact of Domestic Violence

We know that many children that live in homes with domestic violence are aware of the violence. Trauma is a result of something that happens (a “hard thing”) that is too intense, scary or threatening to be managed or coped with.

We all learn how to cope with things. Here’s an analogy: the first time you ever missed a bus might cause panic, frustration, fear, or self-doubt. But after getting older and missing a few more, you learned you would be okay and that it wasn’t all that bad. You learned skills to cope with a particular fear or threat: calling into work late, rerouting, waiting for the next one, bringing a book.

Effects of Repeated Exposure to Trauma (complex trauma)

Without the tools to deal with trauma, the children who are exposed to hard things repeatedly may deal with it in another way. Symptoms are varied, and can include: