Unpacking the Scary Stuff with Jessica Sinarski, LPCMH

I am joined in this episode by Jessica Sinarski, a licensed professional counselor, author, and founder of BraveBrains. 

Jessica discusses her book What's Inside Your Backpack? which explores how caring adults can help children who have experienced trauma to feel safe, seen, and supported. Throughout the story, her book aims to convey that children are not alone in carrying the "heavy backpacks" of their trauma and that there are ways to find support and face those difficult emotions in empowering ways.

Together, we discuss how adults (such as parents, teachers, and CASA volunteers) can approach supporting children who are dealing with big, scary emotions. Jessica highlights the importance of acknowledging the child's grief and pain rather than trying to fix the situation, and she suggests using shared language and metaphors from the book such as "bookmarking" difficult feelings in order to help children feel understood.

Jessica highlights the need for adults to also process their own emotions and triggers so that they can show up fully for the children whom they support without projecting their own baggage, and she shares how having a community of trusted peers has been invaluable for her own self-care. Our conversation ultimately emphasizes the power of creating safe spaces for children to feel seen and heard!

Highlights:

[2:11] - Hear how Jessica unexpectedly found her passion in foster care work, inspiring her to write What’s Inside Your Backpack?

[4:00] - Jessica illustrates how healing from trauma involves support, self-compassion, and gradual progress.

[6:49] - The book offers a powerful message that sharing emotional burdens makes them lighter and creates hope.

[8:04] - Jessica hopes that her book helps adults take on difficult conversations with children via empathy and shared storytelling.

[11:11] - What's Inside Your Backpack? offers shared language and tools for adults and kids to face emotions together.

[12:38] - Kids need empathy, not fixing, while adults need to manage their own emotional triggers.

[15:57] - Parenting traumatized children requires not being judgmental of how they grieve and cope.

[18:51] - Before encouraging kids to lower their defenses, it's important to first ensure emotional safety.

[20:14] - Trauma survivors need to learn when and where it’s safe to relax their guard.

[22:49] - Jessica highlights the value of helping kids build lasting trust with safe adults.

[24:13] - Jessica suggests modeling emotional regulation aloud in order to normalize feelings.

[26:45] - Listen as Jessica encourages processing emotions with adults, not kids, and sharing only age-appropriate honesty.

[30:53] - Modeling emotions’ beginnings and endings teaches kids that emotions are temporary and safe.

[32:39] - Jessica expresses hope in child welfare increasingly embracing lived experience.

[35:13] - Healing requires supportive friends who can meet emotional needs.

[38:25] - Jessica explains that validation, not solutions, best comforts both adults and children during tough emotions.

[41:12] - Find out where to connect with Jessica.

Links & Resources:

 

Jessica’s Website

BraveBrains

Jessica's LinkedIn Page

Jessica Sinarski - What’s Inside Your Backpack?

Jessica’s Books

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those of the guests and host and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Voices for CASA Children or its affiliates.

Content Warning: This episode may include discussions of sensitive topics that could be triggering for some listeners.