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Crisis Services

ASERT does not offer crisis services through our Resource Center. If you or someone you love is experiencing mental health distress or thoughts of suicide please call or text 988 for support.

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Project Reassure: For-Self-Advocates

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Understanding Trauma: Self-Advocates

What is trauma?

Trauma is an event that occurs and may affect people in different ways. Trauma may happen from things like: Serious injury or harm, violence or death.

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What is Trauma: Social Story

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Types of Trauma

Trauma and traumatic events can happen in many different ways . This resource has definitions and examples of how trauma can happen.

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How Trauma Looks

People may go through the same trauma but respond in different ways. Some people may show signs of traumatic stress and others may have few or no signs.

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Trauma and Sleep Problems: Social Story

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Traumatic Stress

Trauma affects everyone differently. Not everyone that experiences trauma will be diagnosed with PTSD.

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Survival Circuit and Post-Traumatic Stress

The survival circuit is how our bodies and brains respond to threats around us. Our brains are made to respond this way to help us survive threats and stress. Resource also deals with PTSD and the Survival Circuit.

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The Four “F”s

There are different ways your body can react when your brain thinks there is a threat. These are sometimes called the "Four F's".

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Understanding Resilience: Self-Advocates

Introduction to Resilience Self Advocates

Resilience can be explained in many different ways. It can also mean different things. Everyone has resilience! When we talk about resilience, we are talking about staying calm and in control when faced with a challenge.

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What is Resilience?

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A Guide to Resilience

Resilience can be explained in many different ways. It can also mean different things. Everyone has resilience! When we talk about resilience, we are talking about staying calm and in control when faced with a challenge.

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Resilient Zone: Social Story

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The Resilient Zone

The Resilient Zone is when we are in a place to be able manage our feelings and thoughts. The Resilient Zone can also be called the "OK" Zone.

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Emotions Inside and Out of the Resilient Zone: Learning to Widen It

We can be sad, mad, happy, calm, worried, and/or distressed in this zone all at once while still being able to manage it all. Our emotions simply exist in the Resilient Zone, there is no right or wrong way to feel.

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Trauma-Informed and Resilience-Informed

Trauma-informed care providers need to know what their patients have been through and how it has affected them. This will allow them to provide the specific type of care they think is best for every individual they see.

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Resilience Skills: Self-Advocates

Introduction to Resilience Skill

Staying in your Resilient Zone or “OK” Zone helps you to keep working on your goals. But how do you know where you are in your Resilient or “OK” zone? And what can you do if you are moved out of your zone?

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Tracking: Social Story

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What is Tracking and Why its Important

Tracking is a way to help you stay in or get back to your “Resilient Zone” or “OK Zone.” When you use tracking you pay attention to what is happening with your mind and body. We sometimes call these thoughts and feelings in our mind and body “sensations”.

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Learning How to Track and Practicing Tracking

Tracking is when you pay attention to what is happening with your mind and body. Tracking can help you pay attention to good feelings in your mind or body to help you stay in your OK or “resilient zone”.

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Resourcing: Social Story

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Resourcing and How to Practice

Resourcing is a resilience skill that uses people, places, things, and ideas to help you feel better. Includes how to practice Resourcing.

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Grounding: Social Story

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What is Grounding and How to Practice It.

Grounding is a way of focusing on things that are happening right now. One of the simplest ways to do this is to pay attention to the sensations in your body. Includes instructions on how to practice Grounding.

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Gesturing: Social Story

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What is Gesturing and How to Practice It.

Gestures can be movements to show what we are thinking or feeling. Gestures can show when we feel angry, happy, sad, and other feelings. Includes instructions on how to practice Gesturing.

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Shift and Stay: Social Story

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What is Shift and Stay, and How to Practice

Shift and Stay is a skill you can use to change your thoughts and get back into your resilient zone. Includes instructions on how to practice shift and stay.

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Help Now: Social Story

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What is Help Now and How to Practice Help Now

Help Now: is a skill you can use when you feel overwhelmed. When you are faced with a lot of challenges, it can be hard to stay in your resilient or “OK” zone. Includes instructions on how to practice Help Now.

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Resilience Skills Overview

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Choosing Resilience Skills: Self-Advocates

High Zone Reactions in my Brain: Social-Story

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HighZone Reaction in My Body-Social Story

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When I’m In The Low Zone: Social Story

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Recognizing a Mental Health Crisis

A mental health crisis means that a person’s feelings or problems are so strong that they cannot do what they need to do that day. A mental health crisis may also mean that the person is at risk of hurting themselves or others.

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Managing a Mental Health Crisis

Having a plan can help you to get through a mental health crisis more easily or even prevent a crisis from happening.

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Building a Resilience Plan

A resilience plan is sometimes called a self-care plan. It is a way to help you widen your resilient or “OK” zone and have a plan for how to use the skills.

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This information was developed by the Autism Services, Education, Resources, and Training Collaborative (ASERT). For more information, please contact ASERT at 877-231-4244 or info@PAautism.org. ASERT is funded by the Bureau of Supports for Autism and Special Populations, PA Department of Human Services.