Creating Lasting Family Connections®: Overcoming and Understanding Stress and Trauma

Creating Lasting Family Connections®: Overcoming and Understanding Stress and Trauma (CLFC OUST) is an adaptation of CLFC designed for general audiences, including high school aged students, young adults, and middle-aged adults. CLFC OUST aims to increase awareness about the impacts of and reduce the effects of stress, trauma, and adverse childhood and community experiences. Facilitators lead groups of participants through two modules which must be implemented in order. However, facilitators can choose to implement the first module alone.

The first module focuses on “understanding stress and trauma.” Facilitators help participants explore emotional awareness, expression, and management; human growth, development and needs; and how adverse childhood and community experiences can impact physical and emotional health. Sessions include formal instruction, group discussion, and personal reflection activities designed to (1) help participants explore their thinking and feelings; (2) build skills to empathize, listen, and bond with others; and (3) teach emotional self-regulation skills such as centered breathing.

The second module focuses on “overcoming stress and trauma.” Facilitators help participants build awareness about the day-to-day and intergenerational impacts of stress and trauma and how to overcome them. Facilitators also teach participants how to support themselves and others who are affected by stress or trauma through empathy, anger management and self-regulation exercises, self-care, and strategies to increase personal power. 

Facilitators may assist participants, as needed, with referrals to culturally appropriate outside resources for additional care and support such as case management services or counseling.

CLFC OUST does not currently meet criteria to receive a rating because no studies met eligibility criteria for review.

Date Last Reviewed (Handbook Version 2.0): Mar 2025

Date Program or Service Description Last Updated: Mar 2025

Date Originally Reviewed (Handbook Version 2.0): Mar 2025

Sources

The following sources informed the program or service description, target population, and program or service delivery and implementation information: the program or service manual, and the program or service developer’s website. 

This information does not necessarily represent the views of the program or service developers. For more information on how this program or service was reviewed, download the Handbook of Standards and Procedures, Version 2.0