Trauma-Informed Care at Idaho Youth Ranch

Traumatic experiences, such as Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), can have a dramatic ripple effect on the lives of young people. The effects of trauma can be profound and far-reaching - often impacting a person’s mental, physical, emotional, and behavioral well-being.

Treating childhood trauma requires a specialized approach, called trauma-informed care, that addresses the deep emotional effects of trauma, promotes healing and builds resilience. 

What is trauma-informed care?

Trauma-informed care starts by understanding the significance of traumatic experiences and how much impact they can have on a person’s mental and physical health. Trauma-informed care acknowledges the strong connection between a traumatic experience and the way a young person responses both emotionally and behaviorally. 

The trauma-informed care approach is intended to give people the skills and insights to better understand, cope with, and process emotions associated with their traumatic experiences. Trauma-informed care can help build resilience and allow people to develop a healthier perspective on their experiences and the skills to cope with negative emotions associated with their trauma, thereby providing a pathway to a healthier future. 

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Trauma is not a life sentence

The damage can be reversed. While prevention and early invention are always preferred, a child who has experienced trauma is never a lost cause. 

Trauma-informed care and resilience building exercises are crucial to overcoming Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and the long-term effects of toxic stress.

When treating a kid or teen who is acting out, trauma-informed care actively changes the question from "What's wrong with you?" to "What happened to you?" Not only does this shift in perspective acknowledge a person in pain, but it additionally gives them an opportunity to cope.

Idaho Youth Ranch employs a variety of therapies - including individual, family, group, and animal-assisted care - to help young people confront their painful pasts and build a better future.