Trauma Informed Care-What is it and Why is it Important?

As a licensed professional counselor I have chosen to focus my work on helping people who have experienced trauma heal and lead happy and healthy lives. A trauma informed care approach allows me to help clients through a bigger perspective and look at how trauma not only has impacted their lives in the past, but how it continues to impact them and the systems that they interact with.

What is trauma informed care?

Trauma informed care is a perspective that theorizes that more people than not have experienced trauma. It allows a treatment provider to recognize that it is essential to understand what a person has gone through in order to help them most effectively and reduce the risk of re-traumatizing them inadvertently. For example, if a female identifying client has been repeatedly traumatized by a male identifying person, it might be very important for them to have a female identifying therapist to work through the trauma with. On the other hand, it could also be beneficial for them to engage in therapeutic work with a male identifying therapist in an effort to have a positive corrective emotional experience- if that is what they choose.

Larger systems are also important...

We all live within the larger systems of society. Government, courts, healthcare, even neighborhoods and family systems are all groups that we are a part of. A trauma informed practitioner also recognizes that the larger systems at play may not be set up in a way that makes it easy for a person who experienced something horrific to ask for or obtain the help they need. Many times a person who has experienced trauma might need to have some extra time to digest information they have been given, or need to prepare themselves for what is to come. It can be helpful for people in positions of power to explain what is going to happen before anything begins.

Let’s take an example of a sexual assault survivor. Utilizing a trauma informed approach, the doctor (a person with a good amount of power) who is doing an exam, should tell their patient what to expect and how the exam will go. As they complete different parts of the exam, using a trauma informed approach they will remind the client what is about to happen and check in to make sure that they are doing alright. They also need to tell the patient what to expect about the results, when to expect a call back and so forth.

Key aspects of trauma informed care

1. Empowerment- It is important that you feel empowered to share your story, and contribute to the life that you want to create.

2. Collaboration- You have a say in what happens in your treatment and it is just as valuable as the opinion of the professional you are working with. Treatment should include you and your therapist working together to create change.

3. Safety- This includes both emotional and physical safety. A trauma informed professional will make sure that they are checking in with you to ensure that you feel comfortable and that your needs and concerns are being addressed.

4. Trustworthiness- It is imperative that you feel you can trust those who you are working with. There should be clear expectations about their role as well as your role in the professional relationship.

How to tell if your counselor provides trauma informed care

1. Do you feel safe with them? Can you ask them questions and do you feel like you get a genuine and truthful response? Do they do what they say they are going to do?

2. Are you in control, does your counselor ask your thoughts and opinions instead of pushing their own agenda?

3. If you were to ask to change the topic or state that you were feeling uncomfortable, would your counselor be receptive to that feedback?

3. Do you feel physically safe? Can you locate the exits easily and is it well lit enough that you could use the exit if you needed? Are parking lots well lit? Do the bathrooms have locks on the doors?

Takeaways:

It’s important to know that trauma informed care serves all clients because it empowers you to feel safe in a space where you can then begin to challenge the way your brain has adapted to being in a traumatic situation and begin to advocate for yourself and your needs. It is my job to create this safe place for my clients to do the work that will allow them to thrive and recognize when they might be in a situation that could be re-traumatizing.

If you have been through something that feels traumatic, like you just can’t move forward, or if you are reading this and are thinking “I need a trauma informed approach to therapy!” please reach out today for a free 15 minute consultation!