Indigenous Perspective: How Trauma Impacts Speech & Language of System Involved Youth

Nima Novak

Training Description

Acute, ongoing, and generational trauma has been shown in research to cause very harmful consequences to system-involved youth speech and language skills. In this 2-hour training, the presentation will include definitions; research on the impact of trauma on the brain, learning and speech and language skills; and what to do to improve outcomes for system involved youth who are disproportionately youth of color, and all too often negatively affected by barriers in the learning environment. Participants will be guided through a sequence of learning activities to explore and understand the negative impact of trauma on the brain and to gain increased awareness of how to identify, refer to, and learn somatic strategies to support system involved youth through co-regulation. Learning activities will include: self-reflection, storytelling of real life examples, large group exercises, and participant question time.

Learning Objectives

Participants will be able to:

● Identify & explain how trauma affects speech and language skills and identify at least 2 negative impacts for system involved youth.

● Explain at least 2 somatic movements for fight/flight/fawn response & co-regulation.

● Explain at least 2 strategies for teaching speech and language skills after trauma.

Agenda

1:00-1:05pm  Welcome, Introductions, and Expectations

1:05-1:15pm  Resourcing the body activity

1:15-2:00pm  Definitions:

● Communication

● Speech and Language- different elements

● What is trauma

● Adverse Childhood Experience scores

● The brain before/after trauma

● Fight/ flight/ fawn response

● Poly vagal theory

● Co regulation

2:00-2:15pm  Break (CE hours will not be offered for this time)

2:15-2:30pm  Why and how speech and language is negatively impacted by different types of trauma

2:30-2:45pm  Somatic movements for fight response

2:45-3:00pm  Somatic movements for flight response

3:00-3:15pm  Somatic movements for fawn response

3:15-3:30pm  Co-regulation: mirror neurons, poly vagal & somatic strategies

3:30-3:45pm  How to teach speech and language skills after trauma

3:45-4:00pm  Questions & key takeaways

Meet Our Trainer

Nima Novak is an Indigenous Speech Language Pathologist. She holds a Bachelor's of Arts in Psychology and a Master’s of Science in Speech Language Pathology. She has worked extensively in marginalized communities, specifically in Oxnard with Indigenous preschool population and on the west side of Chicago, where she has seen first hand the negative effects of trauma on speech, language and fluency development. She is currently studying somatic therapies, Polyvagal Theory, Mindful Self Compassion (MSC) and Reiki to promote healing across the communities she serves, with the intention of loving kindness for all. Her focus on evidence-based practices and empirical research serves to bridge the worlds of healing and science which are often relegated to different categories. Nima’s holistic approach of resilience and education teaches how research-based mindfulness practices can be used to manage trauma in the body for both her students and colleagues experiencing the effects of secondary trauma. She is dedicated to empowering her students and all womxn to pursue their passions through the cultivation of resilience and self-worth. In her school based speech therapy and basketball coaching Nima takes a trauma-informed approach to support BIPOC and all students at every level.

This course meets the qualifications for (2.75) BBS CE hours for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs as required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences & is provided by Fred Finch Youth Center, CAMFT Provider #045295.