What does it mean to be Trauma Informed?
If you were to walk into the old Sarah Steele Building (Alcohol and Drug Services) in Whitehorse, Yukon, around 2006, in the front waiting room you would have seen a poster on the wall that said, something along the lines of: “When working with our clients we don’t think, what’s wrong with them. We wonder, what’s happened to them.” This was my first introduction of Trauma-Informed Practice.
To be Trauma-Informed, means to separate the person’s actions from their being. That trauma and shame, often coexist and feed one another. That shame and trauma exists on an individual level through our actions and beliefs about the world; through the ways that our bodies respond and adapt to the environment. And that shame and trauma are shaped at a societal level through stigma and blame.
Throughout the years, I have developed what I would call, Trauma-Informed glasses (much like rose coloured glasses). I’ve studied, practiced self reflection and analyzed the world around me. Putting trauma theory into practice. And here is a brief overview of what I consider to be trauma-informed:
There are events that happen in our lives that will impact our basic human needs - When this happens, our bodies (the brilliant things that they are) will take over and do what they need to protect us and keep us safe
Trauma responses are the bodies automatic response to attempt to re-establish safety (when I say automatic , I mean we cannot control it)
You have probably heard of these automatic responses - they include: fight, flight, freeze, appease and dissociate.
Trauma is unbiased - it will affect everyone (but there are some factors that will help to decrease long-term impacts; these factors are biased)
Trauma is painful - like a an open wound to the skin, some trauma, will leave a long term mark on our lives.
We ALWAYS develop coping tools to deal with pain and stress.
Coping tools always start off as helpful and protective (that’s why we keep using them)
Sometimes coping tools end up increasing disconnection (from ourselves and others)
Culture and environment will dictate which coping tools are acceptable and available and which ones are not (stigma - causes additional pain and shame)
Okay, so that’s a bit of an introduction to trauma-informed practice and I’m sure i’ll write about it again. So what do we do with this? What do I hope that you take from this? How do I implement this into my work do you wonder? some key points:
You are not what happened to you - you are so much more, even if it doesn’t feel like it sometimes.
All of the actions, beliefs, and coping tools that you have picked up along the way, have served the purpose of getting you here (pretty nifty)
I don’t want you to get rid of any of them; but maybe, you can add to your to your tool box so you have access to some other stuff (let’s give those trusty tools a bit of a break)
I hope this is helpful. I hope to continue to share with you some of my knowledge and my learning. To make the information accessible. We are living in times of great accessibility to information. Where therapists can’t claim to hold the key to healing anymore. I want you to hold the key, because the key belongs to you. Only you know what is helpful, and all I can do is offer what have.
With love, always
Chantelle
