Do No Harm -- Trauma-focused courts address the roots of family problems—and the traumatic impact of court itself.

Interview by SONIA DIAZ

I grew up hurt and scared. The trauma I went through affected me when I became a mother. Sometimes I would shut myself in my room so that I didn’t scare my kids, and I smoked weed to stay calm.

When I went to court facing neglect charges years ago, no one knew my story and I was afraid to speak up. My lawyer made me plead guilty to neglecting my kids. Even though my kids were not removed, I felt worthless as a mother for years.

So when I learned that some family courts are starting to help people with trauma, I felt good. Finally, someone is listening to people who sometimes can’t even understand what is going on in court.

Here, Judge Judith Claire of the Chautauqua County Family Court in upstate New York, and Aimee Neri, a licensed social worker who is the New York State Child Welfare Court Improvement Project Liaison to the 8th Judicial District, describe how they’ve brought awareness of trauma into the court and how it’s helping families:

http://www.risemagazine.org/featured_stories/Do_no_harm.html