Elizabeth Diaz

Elizabeth Diaz

LCSW, Professor, Psychotherapist, Board Vice Chair

Private Practice (owner), University (Adjunct Professor), Non-profit (Board Chair)

[email protected] (personal);  [email protected] (professional) 

Lessons Learned

• The same tools we use to support children with disabilities are beneficial to all. An equitable approach to systems offers immense benefits for all, including those who are not directly impacted.
• Professionals may hesitate to support children and families with disabilities because they are unsure what trauma or trauma recovery looks like for this population. By intentionally integrating disability into conversations about trauma, we can equip professionals with the understanding and confidence needed to provide effective care. In doing so, trauma professionals move beyond general awareness to becoming truly trauma-informed and able to recognize and respond to the diverse ways trauma and disability intersect in children’s lives.
• Our systems will invalidate and dismiss the harm to children with disability because of the same reasons that make them vulnerable and susceptible to violence and harm.
• Children who are twice-exceptional (2e), both gifted and living with a disability, are at an increased risk for abuse. Their asynchronous development can lead to misunderstanding and isolation, making them more vulnerable to maltreatment by families and systems. For example, a child who is highly advanced in math, reasoning, and logic, but is not ready for potty-training or maintain emotional regulation with / /their same-aged peers, may be scolded based on their perceived readiness aligned with their gift rather than their actual readiness. 

Resources Developed

• Chicago Children’s Advocacy Center – Keeping my Family Safe – I did not author this content; however, I was contracted as a consultant to provide guidance and recommendations on making the material more accessible and inclusive for families and children of all ability levels and across cultural lines. In this role, I also developed the Spanish Translation for the organization.
  • One of my key contributions was recommending the use of concrete visuals and examples rather than abstract concepts. For example, rather than simply stating “stay calm and listen carefully,” I recommended offering parents specific language such as, “I’m glad you shared this with me. Is there anything else you’d like to share?”
• Body Safety Curriculum
  • Presentations for school staff, teachers, and parents explored how intersecting vulnerable identities, such as disability, can increase a child’s risk of experiencing abuse or maltreatment. During these sessions, I discussed how principles from trauma-informed care, which encourage systems to lead with compassion by assuming that most individuals have experienced some form of trauma and can experience trauma, can be adapted to create disability-informed care. This approach assumes that individuals may experience some form of disability or neurodivergence, whether visible or not, and encourages systems to respond with awareness, inclusion, and respect that are ultimately supportive of the entire population.
    • Presentation with children includes accessible songs that anchor on simple song and chord structures, easily digestible and repetitive lyrics, that utilize music and movement to facilitate the internalization of the content. For example, “Feelings are for you and me. Feelings are for everybody,”
• Presentation at the International Association of Social Work for Groups (IASWG) 2024 Symposium in Madrid, Spain, on: Demystifying Sexual Abuse Intervention and Primary Prevention Education in a Group Setting for Preschool and Kindergarten Aged Children. This includes snapshots of the above-mentioned curriculum
  • This presentation navigates the landscape of child sexual abuse prevention, addressing systems of oppression that perpetuate child sexual abuse and introducing diverse theoretical frameworks. Attendees explore primary, secondary, and tertiary education approaches in a group setting, using music, and engage in interactive modules on sexual abuse education. They also participate in breakout groups. The session concludes with a collaborative concert, symbolizing the need for collective protection of children and experiential learning of the content, much like children would. 
     

Suggested Resources

• https://www.understood.org
• Smart but scattered: Revolutionary “Executive Skills” Approach to Help Kids Reach Their Potential by Peg Dawson and Richard Guare
• The Whole Brain Child by Dan Siegel

Collaborative Areas of Interest

• Child abuse and sexual abuse prevention, intervention, and recovery
• Guiding parents and schools in understanding and supporting twice-exceptional children.
• The Intersection of Trauma and Disability Across Systems.