Understanding trauma also means understanding the brain. When children and young people experience stress or danger, their brains don’t always respond in a rational or verbal way. Instead, different brain systems take turns leading the way. Learning how these systems work helps children make sense of their reactions —and helps adults respond with empathy rather than correction.

How the brain responds to stress

Trauma-informed research shows that the brain is organised around survival. In stressful situations, the brain automatically shifts its priorities to keep the person safe. This process is largely driven by the amygdala — often described as a “smoke alarm” — which scans for danger and activates survival responses when athreat is detected.

Neuroscience models frequently distinguish between three interacting brain systems:

  • the thinking brain, responsible for reasoning, planning and impulse control
  • the emotional brain, which processes feelings and emotional memories;
  • and the survival brain, which regulates basic bodily functions and prepares the body to respond to danger.

When the amygdala perceives threat, the survival brain takes over and the thinking brain temporarily goes offline. As van der Kolk (2014) and Perry (2006) describe, this is not a failure of self-control but a protective mechanism. In children who have experienced trauma, this “alarm system” may become oversensitive, activating even in situations that are no longer dangerous.

From research to practice: the Inside The Brain poster

The Inside The Brain poster was developed as part of the Facing Trauma toolkit to help children and young people understand these processes in a concrete and visual way. At the centre of the poster is Ezra, one of the toolkit’s main characters, shown twice: once with her brain in a neutral state and once in a stress state.

The poster introduces three clearly colour-coded brain areas:

  • the thinking brain (blue), linked to skills like planning, learning, language and decision-making;
  • the emotional brain (red), where emotions such as joy, fear and sadness are processed;
  • the survival brain (green), responsible for bodily regulation such as breathing, heart rate, hunger, sleep and energy.

The amygdala (orange) connects and directs all three systems. When activated, it triggers survival responses such as fight, flight, freeze, submit or crying for help. The visual contrast between Ezra’s calm and stressed brain helps children see — quite literally — what happens when stress takes over.

At the top of the poster, a “storage area” shows a wide range of situations and memories, from everyday moments like cycling or reading a book to more intense experiences such as bullying, conflict, loss or loud noises. These images invite reflection on how different situations can trigger different brain responses — and how this differs from person to person.

How the poster can be used
  • Exploring the brain together        
    The game starts with curiosity. Children are invited to explore the poster,recognise the icons in the different brain areas and guess what they represent.This playful investigation opens the door to explaining the three brain systems and the role of the amygdala in simple, age-appropriate language.
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  • Neutral brain vs. stress brain      
    By comparing the left and right sides of the poster, children can visually grasp the difference between a brain in balance and a brain under stress. This helps normalise stress responses and reduces shame: the brain is not “broken”, it is doing its job.
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  • Connecting memories and reactions        
    The memory bubbles allow children to think about which situations feel safe or stressful — for themselves or for one of the toolkit’s characters. Working with characters first creates emotional distance, making the activity safer for children who are not ready to talk about their own experiences.
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  • Building regulation strategies    
    The poster naturally leads to conversations about tools and strategies that help calm the survival brain and bring the thinking brain back online. These discussions can later be deepened using other posters from the toolkit, such as Self-Care City, Stress-Discovery Channel or My Support Team.

By externalising brain processes and using visual metaphors, Inside The Brain helps children develop language for internal experiences that are often hard to describe.

Why it matters

When children understand that different parts of their brain take charge at different moments, they gain insight into their own behaviour and emotions.This awareness supports self-regulation, emotional literacy and resilience. Importantly, the poster emphasises that all brain parts are equally valuable. We function best — and feel safest — when the thinking, emotional and survival brain work together.

 

Resources

van der Kolk, B. (2014). TheBody Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.
Perry, B. D. (2006). Applying Principles of Neurodevelopment to Clinical Workwith Maltreated and Traumatized Children. In N. B. Webb (Ed.), Workingwith Traumatized Youth in Child Welfare (pp. 27–52). Guilford Press.
StreetSmart/MS: Facing Trauma Toolkit – https://www.street-smart.be/facing-trauma                

This toolkit was co-financed by the European Union.