trauma definitions
- Can include, but is not limited to, experiences of violence, sexual assault, natural disaster, neglect, and emotional abuse
- Also refers to the psychological experience that follows the event
- Represents an experience “that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope”
3 E’s of trauma
- events causing trauma
- experiences (personal response to the event)
- effects (physical, emotions, behavioural, cognitive, spiritual)
expressions (effects) of trauma - Physical
eating and sleeping disruptions
expressions (effects) of trauma - emotional
depression or anxiety
expressions (effects) of trauma - behavioural
drug misuse and other related self-harming behaviours
expressions (effects) of trauma - cognitive
from attention impairments to memory loses
expressions (effects) of trauma - spiritual
guilt, shame, and/or withdrawal from community interactions
four R’s of TIC
- realize
- recognize
- respond
- resist re-traumatization
RPN role in TIC
- recognize that trauma is a major contributing factor to substance misuse
- assume that all service users have experienced some level of trauma
- during assessments inquire in a respectful and safe manner, about the nature of the trauma service users have experienced
Five Key Practice Provisions When Offering Trauma-Informed Care
- Safety: provide protected physical and emotional environment where service user feels welcome and safe
- Trust: a feeling of trust between service provider and user; non-judgmental, empathetic, and compassionate listening
- Choice: service users feel a sense of control and autonomy
- Collaboration: belief that many service users have experienced power imbalances, both in their experience of trauma and in the types of services they have previously received; work alongside service user
- Empowerment: focus on a user’s resilience rather than deficits; understand drug use as a functional coping mechanism in response to trauma
true or false: Staff can experience secondary trauma from users’ stories or experience trauma from violent service users
true
true or false: practitioners’ reluctance to ask about potential experiences of trauma, fearing that the service user will be unable to cope with discussing the trauma will worsen the situation
true
Road Map to Trauma-Informed Care
- trauma AWARE
- trauma SENSITIVE
- trauma RESPONSIVE
- trauma INFORMED
what does it mean to be trauma sensitive
have:
- Foundational Knowledge
- Agency Readiness
- Process and Infrastructure
what does it mean to be trauma responsive
Gather Information
Prioritize and Create Plan
