Help the young person rebuild a sense of control

It is not surprising that for young people who have experienced trauma, particularly complex trauma during childhood, feel they have lost their sense of control in the world.  Therefore, when they have experiences of similar feelings of being out of control it can trigger their trauma responses.  Helping young people gain some control back can be critical.  This can give them a sense of predictability, stability and comfort when they are often distressed and overwhelmed by their experiences.

This may simply be supporting a young person to stay and manage a situation when they have an instinctive urge to flee because it reminds them of their trauma, or giving them some information about how their experiences of trauma influence the way they relate to the world and people in it.

Have a look at emotional regulation for some ideas.