What is “Trauma-Informed Care,” Anyway?
So, I am guessing you’ve heard the phrase ‘trauma-informed care” by now. Maybe when you see the concept on social media, you roll your eyes, possibly even deleting the source of where it comes from. If that’s you, you will be happy to know you are most likely in the majority. It’s quite normal, and might I say, predictable, to feel skeptical of anything presented as new information.
Though trauma has been occurring since the beginning of time, information on how trauma affects the brain is still fairly new in terms of brain research. For those desiring to learn, there’s growing societal agreement that trauma indeed can affect a person negatively their entire lives and in a multitude of ways. With the ability to look more deeply at the brain, what once was more theoretical in nature is now supported by credible research. Of course, the interpretation of the data will always be debatable, but the data alone is enough to make this plea:
If you are in a position of influence over other humans, please educate yourself on how all forms of trauma affect a person’s body, soul, and spirit. Whether it’s acute trauma, event trauma, or developmental trauma, it’s hard to meet anyone who hasn’t experienced trauma. It was once spoken of only in terms of catastrophic events, such as wars, violence, and major accidents. Developmental trauma failed to be defined until we got a closer look at the brain. Thankfully, with new data, we can now help people heal more effectively no matter what the trauma.
I recently heard a podcaster interview the late Sue Johnson. Sue Johnson founded what we know today as EFT or Emotionally Focused Therapy. I was on the edge of my seat as I listened to Sue’s stories of growing up in a bar, which led to her curiosity about how people handle their emotions. As you can imagine, with alcohol in the mix, emotions were either amplified or completely shut down.
Sue was able to observe human nature in the most interesting way as a child. But the most interesting thing about her story is how society responded to her discovery of working with people from an emotional regulation standpoint. Some of Sue’s biggest critics were her own collogues. Yet, she held on to what she instinctively knew and began collecting data from the research. Her deep desire to help others understand themselves in the context of their relationships was fierce enough to take the hits of criticism in the mid-80s. What we know now is that EFT is a highly effective form of therapy for couples.
I share this story to highlight one example: As humans, it takes time to adjust to new information. I wish this weren’t true when it comes to being trauma-informed. The longer we wait to be convinced that every person in a position of influence needs to be trauma-informed, the more people around us who are suffering will be misunderstood. As a result, they will be misdiagnosed and sent further into trauma. Though we can’t make a person or organization educate themselves, we can keep talking about it until it gains more traction. Because once we become trauma-informed, we then learn what it means to become trauma-responsive, and that’s where “trauma-informed care” makes all the difference in the world.
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