By Poorna Sudha Goli, MSW Student
Trauma presents itself in various forms through a single event or continual exposure to an experience. These experiences influence a person's thinking, feeling, and behavior on many levels. Trauma can happen to anyone; to some extent, it is present in almost everybody, and as social workers, you may encounter clients and colleagues impacted. Trauma-informed care is an approach that is unique and redesigns client and therapist relationships. The therapist is no longer the expert or authoritative figure in this approach, where the therapist is a partner. Trauma-informed care promotes a collaborative approach toward problem-solving [1]. It is coming to light as a nee strength-based approach to working with individuals who have experienced Trauma [2].
According to the Substance abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Trauma-informed care is primarily concerned with realizing the prevalence of Trauma, meaning being aware of Trauma that is commonly present in everybody. It also involves understanding how Trauma can affect an individual on Micro, Mezzo, and Macro levels. As a social worker, providing Trauma-informed care is putting the knowledge about Trauma into practice by being mindful of your words and actions [3].
Five pillars of Trauma-informed care help guide the social work practice to become more efficient overall.
One of the main goals of Trauma-informed care is to reduce the risk of re-traumatizing while building resilience and healing. The five principles will provide a pathway to meet the Trauma-informed care goals. The principles are necessary because those who have experienced Trauma may react to a situation that may seem normal to a layperson in a very drastic manner. People with Trauma must feel safe and validated, and in environments where they feel unsafe, they may get agitated or panicked. To avoid such panic episodes, the five pillars can be used to promote Trauma-informed care practices. [5]
Footnotes:
[1] Crisis Prevention Institute. Trauma-informed care for educators.
[2] Joeseph. (2022, September 17). Why Trauma Informed care is important?
[3] Integrative Life Center. (2021, May 3). The 5 Principles of Trauma-informed Care.
[4] University at Buffalo. The Five Principles of Trauma-informed care
[5] Joeseph. (2022, September 17). Why Trauma Informed care is important?
Published April 14, 2023