Twirl Brain: An Introduction to Secondary Traumatic Stress

This fictionalized non-fiction re-telling is an introduction to secondary traumatic stress. Grace has a high EQ and can feel the emotions of her siblings who are adopted through foster care. She can help her sibling co-regulate when needed, and her presence creates a calm environment for regulation. Grace's magic includes the ability to collect strong emotions that block regulation and then twirl them away. Secondary traumatic stress and play therapy are highlighted in the non-fiction text to educate the reader on the negative effects of trauma and stress on a child's brain. However, these negative effects can be healed and formed into positive brain development through the use of therapy and a co-regulating adult. As the only biological child in a large multiracial family, Grace needs breaks and certain privileges to obtain healthy brain functioning. The reader sees what it is like to have these negative experiences through interactions with her siblings and how Grace manages the stress. The reader learns about hypervigilance and anxiety as a result of secondary trauma and its effects on brain development. The brain is looked at more closely, and the reader is introduced to the amygdala and the hypothalamus. These two areas are where traumatic memories get mixed up and stored incorrectly. However negative the experiences are, therapy and positive thought can help maintain a strong and healthy brain. Foster care and adoption through foster care are discussed, and grieving the loss of siblings as an infant is touched on.