Road Map Activity

Reprinted from TLC’s Trauma Intervention Program, by William Steele, Teen Workbook, Activity Worksheet 2.3

For Teens

Click here to download a pdf file of the Road Map from the Past suitable for printing.
Acrobat Reader is needed to open the Road Map. Click here for a free download.

Print the Road Map from the Past and give it to your teenager. Ask him to put his current age and birth date on the appropriate lines. Explain that the streets on the right side of the main drag are destinations, places he has lived or visited, schools he attended, places he has spent time at. The streets on the left side are the bad and good things that have happened along the way. For instance, if the first destination is going to school and something bad happened at that time (like a divorce, death, etc.) write it on the road map. Write in some good things that happened as well. (It doesn’t have to be major. Something as common as learning to ride a bike is a good place to start if the teen gets stuck.)

Help your teen only if he is having a hard time getting started. Your child may not remember things that happened in pre-school and before. From first grade on it will be easier. Ask him to focus on the good things; things he did with his parents, grandparents, etc. - getting a bike, riding without training wheels, winning some competition, getting praised for special projects in school, making a new friend, being promoted to the next grade, new addition to the family, etc. Do not, however, neglect the “bad” things that happened.

After the road map is filled in show your teen how the trauma is just one part of his life. Good things have happened too. Despite the trauma(s) in your teen’s life he continues to move forward and accomplish new things. There is a part of your child that is a survivor. (Use your own words, but do stress the survivor point.)

Point out the fact that in the scheme of your teen’s life, he keeps moving forward - driving down the road to the future. Every now and then there are some spots that slow him down, just like when there is construction work on the expressway. He keeps moving forward to the next destination. He gets further away from some of the bad things that have happened to him and he has some successes. He gets more and more experience at surviving the hard times.

When something traumatic happens it’s like construction crews have put up a “Road Closed” sign, or a “Detour, Next Left” sign. This is no easy detour either. The road is full of potholes. It’s only two lanes. Your teen can’t pass the car in front of him. He’s got to go at their pace. Unfortunately, a trauma can push your child off the road. It can be filled with so many obstacles that he can lose his sense of direction. He forgets where he wanted to go or he may feel like it’s best to just stay off the main road and not worry about going anywhere because it’s too dangerous. Many people who have experienced a trauma think a whole lot of other horrible things are going to happen to them or others close to them if they keep going.

Remind your child that trauma is just one part of his life. Yes, it is a challenge. Yes, it is hard. It may hurt him and scare him, but it only has the power to intimidate him, to keep him moving down side roads and detours, when he loses sight of his destination. A destination acts like a magnet that keeps us moving forward even when there are detours. A destination can always change, but when he doesn’t have any destination in front of him, his trauma will keep him moving down the back roads, side roads, going nowhere.

Next, ask your teenager to answer these questions. These questions will help your teen decide on a destination that will get him back on the main street.

Questions about your teen’s future:

• I want a career as:
• Of all the people I know today I want to be most like:
• Because:
• When I am older the one thing I want everyone to say about me the most is that I:

Finally, click here to download the Road Map to the Future. Ask your child to fill the map in with his or her goals, hopes and dreams. This map will help your child articulate and focus on his or her hopes for the future.

Click here to download a pdf file of the Road Map to the Future suitable for printing.
Acrobat Reader is needed to open the Road Map. Click here for a free download.

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Parents Trauma Resource Center
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