Our feature article below is written by my long time colleague and friend of over 30 years, Jan Isaacs Henry. She is is a former psychotherapist who specialized in the treatment of trauma and abuse and is the Executive Director and Co-Founder of our exceptional Kidpower Colorado Center.
Whether the trauma is caused by a deeply upsetting personal experience, a natural disaster such as a wildfire or earthquake, or frightening news, Jan’s wisdom, compassion, and insights have been of huge help to me – and countless others – during hard times.
Emotional Safety Support for Families After Traumatic Events
Everyone responds differently to stressful situations. Some may have reactions soon after the event; others may appear fine for a while, and then begin to struggle.
Avoid the expectation that our family members’ responses will be exactly like our own.
The definition of a traumatic event is a highly stressful or shocking experience that causes intense fear or helplessness. How we respond to trauma can depend on our age, developmental stage, background, how close we are to the situation, and our mental health history.
Current trauma can wake up past traumatic situations and we may find ourselves thinking of troubling events that we haven’t thought about in a long time. Understanding this can help us use tools to support ourselves and our loved ones in positive ways.
To learn more about what to expect – and what to do to take care of yourself, see the full article.
Safetypowers Signals for Feelings
Our Safetypowers Signals provide simple gestures and words that help people of all ages and abilities remember skills and safety rules for taking charge of our emotional and personal safety. You can use this free chart of our Safetypowers Signals for Feelings to introduce and practice ways of protecting our feelings.
Skills for Safe & Strong Relationships at All Ages
People Safety skills help build stronger, healthier relationships by teaching boundary-setting, calm communication, emotional awareness, and advocacy. These skills grow with daily use, boosting confidence and preventing harm.
Explore resources to create safer, more joyful connections for you and your loved ones.
Your donation powers Kidpower’s work to provide free and affordable resources for families, schools, and organizations so that everyone has access to emotional safety skills.
Published: April 8, 2025 | Last Updated: April 8, 2025
Irene van der Zande, Kidpower Founder and Executive Director
Kidpower Founder and Executive Irene van der Zande is a master at teaching safety through stories and practices and at inspiring others to do the same. Her child protection and personal safety expertise has been featured by USA Today, CNN, Today Moms, the LA Times, and The Wall Street Journal. Publications include: cartoon-illustrated Kidpower Safety Comics and Kidpower Teaching Books curriculum; Bullying: What Adults Need to Know and Do to Keep Kids Safe; the Relationship Safety Skills Handbook for Teens and Adults; Earliest Teachable Moment: Personal Safety for Babies, Toddlers, and Preschoolers; The Kidpower Book for Caring Adults: Personal Safety, Self-Protection, Confidence, and Advocacy for Young People, and the Amazon Best Seller Doing Right by Our Kids: Protecting Child Safety at All Levels.