Category: Codas
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Understanding Complex PTSD: What You Need to Know
Trauma leaves deep imprints, but for some, the effects are more layered and enduring than what is typically described in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That’s where Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) comes in—a newer diagnosis that helps us better understand the impact of prolonged or repeated trauma. What is CPTSD? CPTSD was officially included in…
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Coda: A Unique Experience and Culture of Its Own
The experience of Children of Deaf Adults (Coda) is often misunderstood or dismissed, both by the Deaf community and the hearing world. While they are frequently labeled as “hearing,” Codas experience a cultural and emotional reality that is deeply shaped by their unique upbringing in a bicultural, bilingual environment. This complex identity, formed between Deaf…
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Are Codas Neurodivergent? A Deep Dive into the Coda Brain
Abstract Children of Deaf Adults (Codas) grow up navigating two linguistic and cultural worlds, acquiring both a signed and spoken language. This bimodal bilingualism presents unique cognitive, sensory, and executive function adaptations that align with contemporary understandings of neurodivergence. This article examines the intersection of bimodal bilingualism, high intelligence, and neurodivergence in Codas, arguing that…
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Resilience and the Coda Experience: Navigating Challenges and Embracing Growth
Resilience is the capacity to bounce back from adversity, adapt to challenges, and overcome setbacks. For Children of Deaf Adults (Codas), resilience often becomes a defining characteristic, as many of us navigate the unique dynamics of growing up in families that bridge the Deaf and hearing worlds. Resilience isn’t something we’re born with—it’s a skill…
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Understanding Suicidality in the Deaf Community and Codas: A Call for Research and Action
Suicide is a public health crisis that affects all communities, but Deaf individuals and Children of Deaf Adults (Codas) face unique challenges that elevate their risks. Despite these vulnerabilities, significant gaps exist in our understanding of suicidality within these populations. This blog explores what we know, what remains to be uncovered, and why we urgently…
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How Do Codas Know They Need Help?
A Journey of Recognition and Healing Recently, I was asked a question that stayed with me: How do Codas (Children of Deaf Adults) know they need help? , I posed the same question to my brother. His response? He laughed and said: “Are they breathing? They’re Codas; of course, they need help.” While his words…
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The Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) Study: A Lens on Trauma in the Deaf and Coda Communities
Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) have been a cornerstone in understanding how early life trauma impacts health and well-being. The landmark ACE study, conducted by the CDC and Kaiser Permanente in the 1990s, surveyed over 17,000 participants to explore the long-term effects of childhood trauma. The findings were groundbreaking, revealing that the more ACEs an individual…
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Navigating Privilege, Marginalization, and Legacy Burdens
When we think about Codas (Children of Deaf Adults), society often views them through a singular lens: hearing individuals who grew up in Deaf households. This perspective, while partly true, oversimplifies the complexities of their lived experience. Codas exist at the intersection of privilege (hearing) and marginalization (identity)—a dynamic that is often misunderstood and rarely…
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DBT for the Deaf and Coda Communities: A Powerful Tool for Healing and Growth
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a proven therapeutic approach designed to help individuals with emotional dysregulation, interpersonal challenges, and distress tolerance. While DBT has proven effective across diverse populations, its potential benefits for the Deaf and Coda (Children of Deaf Adults) communities are particularly profound. These groups often face unique challenges stemming from language deprivation,…
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Grieving the Unique Loss of a Deaf Parent as a Coda
For many Codas (Children of Deaf Adults), the loss of a Deaf parent is more than the loss of a loved one—it can feel like losing a piece of ourselves. As Codas, we are “deaf by association,” immersed in a culture and language that often defines who we are. When our Deaf parent passes away,…
the Coda Counselor 