Spring 2025

Romelia Gomez, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist starts this seminar by defining trauma as

Trauma is a Greek word that means “severe wound.” Trauma is the lasting emotional response that often results from living through a distressing event. The DSM-5 definition of trauma requires “actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual violence.”

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Distressing or traumatic events can occur naturally, through violence or medical problems, neglect or abuse, and life changes. ​

• ​Approximately 89.7 % of people have experienced at least one traumatic event in their lives.

• About 90% of homeless have been expose to some type of trauma

• About 87% have experience trauma in their childhood and as adult.

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Romelia then explains what happens to children when they cannot cope with trauma in a healthy way.  They turn to substance abuse, experience mental health problems, are promiscuous, participate in criminal behavior and experience serious physical illness.

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For parents and caregivers, here are signs of trauma:

• Behavioral - Temper tantrums, misbehave, trouble eating or sleeping or accidents in their pants or bed

• ​Emotional - Anger, sadness, irritable, unmotivated, crying

• ​Physical - Constantly sick, somatic symptoms, tiredness, headaches​

• Psychological - Withdrawn, anxiety, depression ,afraid, nightmare, hyper, unfocused

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Romelia then closes the seminar by conducting two group activities to help attendees process traumatic events and their impacts.

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