3.3 Trauma Informed Practice

Imagine for a moment that someone you know experienced a traumatic incident.  How would they cope?  Do they have positive experiences and supports in their life that can help with their ability to cope?  As a Social worker, it is important to recognize the scope of your practice so you do not inadvertently activate someone who has experienced trauma.

Trauma-Informed Practice is guided by six principles:

• Safety
• Trust and transparency
• Peer support
• Collaboration and mutuality
• Empowerment, voice and choice
• The importance of cultural, historical and gender issues

This approach, in which clinicians acknowledge what has happened, allows clients and patients to be more engaged in their care.

What is Therapeutic and Relational Security

Trauma Informed Practices For Women

Why is gender important when we discuss a trauma-informed approach to support the people we work with?  Women have different needs and women also have different experiences.  Research tells us women are more likely to have experienced sexualized violence, are more likely to engage in survival sex, and are more likely to live in poverty.

Knowing the issues that impact women specifically, for example, “adverse and traumatic experiences in early childhood, continuation of adversities and trauma in adulthood, intimate partner violence, structural violence, and transgenerational traumas”.

Trauma, Gender, Sex and Substance Use

According to Homes, “the majority of substance use services lack a gender-responsive and anti-oppressive approach, that specifically addresses the intersectional violence, oppressive barriers, and diverse experiences of women and femmes”. This will take a concerted effort to change; being aware of gender in service provision is a start.

Trauma Informed Practices For Indigenous Communities

Trauma due to genocide, colonization, residential schools, and the concerted effort to eradicate Indigenous communities in Canada has had a tremendous impact on Indigenous people.  Understanding these experiences using a two-eyed seeing approach will help provide a more culturally safe and trauma informed service.

Trauma Informed Practices For 2slgbtq Communities

Research suggests that individuals who identify as 2SLGBTQ are impacted by discrimination, victimization, bullying, violence, and trauma; consequently, sexual and gender minority youth are at elevated risk for suicide. This group is also at a higher risk of substance use disorders due to the trauma they face because of their sexuality. To provide a trauma-informed practice for this group, Social Service workers must understand the daily realities of people who identify as 2SLGBTQ.  Rojas et al. suggest the following when working with 2SLGBTQ communities and substance use disorders.

• Focusing on the psychological impact of homophobia and heterosexism can help explain vulnerability to mental health disorders.
• Asking about compounded stigma: how does the client feel about having a substance use disorder, mental health disorder, and/or trauma? What experiences have they had with stigma?
• When referring out, confirming providers are knowledgeable in LGBTQ+ affirming practices
• Consulting frequently and refer when outside of your area of expertise
• Encouraging participation of partner/significant other in treatment
• Querying about family of origin messages toward LGBTQ+ patients
• If applicable, querying about “coming out” process and/or experiences with family