Dr Cathy Kezelman

I have wanted to write to you since reading your book ”Innocence Revisited” in November. I want to thank you for publishing your experience -your absolute courage in putting it out there.

Your account resonates with me on many levels. Above all, I value your descriptions of the processes of remembering and discovering yourself – that long,
fraught, strange, hazardous path. And the utter importance of a skilled and sensitive therapist with you on that journey.

My history bears similarities to yours -the details don’t matter- but reading your book helped me feel sane and hopeful. It is deeply reassuring to see that a
similar person has gone through such trauma and managed to persist and battle to discover herself. Your story helps me understand some of the how and what of survival and healing because it is a complete narrative. The sheer hard messy slog is something that isn’t conveyed in the tidy personal snippets in
(excellent) books like “The Courage to Heal” by Bass and Davis.

So I am deeply grateful for your commitment to yourself and to others in sharing your incredible achievement, and your public advocacy work in
ASCA.

You have opened up my world and again, I thank you.

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Trauma informed Care and Practice – Meeting the Challenge part 3

Part 2 Trauma informed Care and Practice – Meeting the Challenge Conference June 2011

Children whose parents are going through the family court system are subjected to family breakdown, loss, abandonment, conflict and sometimes
additionally face homelessness and poverty through their changed family circumstances. Their world has been shattered and along with it their sense of
trust, of safety and stability is challenged. When they are sexually assaulted, molested, criticised, humiliated, beaten or manipulated, violated, exposed to domestic violence or otherwise exploited their trauma is compounded.

No parent can provide for a child’s emotional needs all of the time. However, if your childhood has left you struggling to provide for your child’s emotional
needs, there is a lot you can do. Mothers can acquire healthy parenting skills from understanding their childhood and its effects on them and their parenting.
Abusive patterns of the past are often alive in the present. Yet with understanding they can be changed.

The connection between trauma histories, including childhood abuse and mental illness. Service providers are urged to understand that often consumers use a diversity of coping mechanisms and strategies which can lead to severe physical health risks as well as suicide and self-harm. For more info: www.mhcc.org.au/TICP/
Dr Cathy Kezelman, Head of Stakeholder Relations, Adults Surviving Child Abuse (ASCA)

Part 1 of presentation Trauma informed Care and Pactice – Meeting the Challenge conference facilitated by MHCC (Mental Health Coordinating Council, ECAV (Education Centre against Violence), ASCA (Adults Surviving Child Abuse) and PMHCCN June 2011

During childhood the brain grows and develops rapidly, especially in the first 3 to 5 years, with further rapid development during puberty and it continues to grow and develop until a person is in their twenties. During this entire period trauma can and does impact fundamental neuro-chemical processes, and these in turn can affect the growth, structure, and functioning of the brain and the mind.

We propose the integration of a model of Trauma-Informed Care and Practice across all health, mental health and human services. This necessitates the development of evidence based models and practice programs building capacity through supporting workforce education and training; data collection, research, outcome measurement and evaluation.

This must include strategies to increase community awareness around the relationship between trauma and mental health while working to eradicate stigma and discrimination, and facilitate access and equity.