3.5 Trauma Informed for Diverse Clients’ Groups
When we work with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion it’s important to apply this in all areas, but especially when we are working through a Trauma Informed Lens. We will touch on a few of these Diverse Communities but there are more that we will have an opportunity to discuss. Learning and working with Diverse Communities is like working on Cultural Competence, it is an ongoing journey, one that we will be continually learning and adding to our knowledge.
10 Tips to Work Effectively with Diverse Clients
1. Stretch your understanding of diversity
2. Reflect on your own biases, stereotypes, and assumptions
3. Listen to your clients’ / customers’ stories
4. Take a holistic approach
5. Understand the process of transition
6. Recognize systemic barriers/challenges
7. Choose appropriate tools and resources
8. Know when and where to refer
9. Advocate
10. Take a “hope-centered” approach.
Gender Bias Through Meeting Culture
We need to be aware of our gender bias especially in regards to culture. There are so many different components when we are discussing culture we need to be aware to always be respective and teachable. Trauma is individual and is perceived through every individuals eyes differently.
Interrupting gender bias through meeting culture
Transcript
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Trauma Informed with those who are Gender Fluid
Gender Fluidity: Gabriel Burton at TedxColumbus
Transcript
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Trauma-Informed with LGBTQ
A trauma-informed approach is driven by a set of core principles that reflect the fundamental attitudes, values, and beliefs needed to provide adequate support for all youth exposed to trauma, including LGBTQ youth.
It is important to have those who are Trauma-Informed with LGBTQ & LGBTQ youth to support and assist in their Trauma. Many LGBTQ do not feel safe in their own environment, schools or communities, due to their sexual orientation or identity.
Transcript
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2. Click on the More Actions icon (represented by three horizontal dots)
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More Information: LGBT
Trauma-Informed with Youth
Trauma informed is a strengths based framework that emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety for both providers and survivors. There are many agencies who work specifically in this community as well as through schools. It is important to have Services tailored for youth so that it is easier to start a conversation around the trauma they are encountering.
Trauma-Informed Care is a strengths-based framework that is grounded in an understanding of the impact of trauma, that emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety for both providers and survivors, and that creates opportunities for survivors to rebuild a sense of control.
Trauma-Informed with Seniors
McMaster University – Faculty of Health Sciences
Nearly two-thirds of middle-aged and older adults in Canada report adverse childhood experiences – March 15, 2021
Examples – Seniors.
Respond to Gender differences in Experiences of Violence and Trauma with Women
When we talk about Feminist Therapy it is Trauma-informed. Women have been oppressed and have suffered much abuse through generations worldwide. Feminist thinkers have brought light on the diagnosis and treatment of posttraumatic experiences, trauma treatment implicitly embodies the many feminist paradigms.
A trauma-informed lens must be aware of the many types of oppressive experiences that have been long-standing and far-reaching consequences that can be perceived as traumatizing. We will look at social structures, including but not limited to violence and abuse, in conceptualizing, investigating and developing clinical interventions for women’s mental health.
When both the individual and societal levels are looked at we can promote a more nuanced understanding of trauma-related challenges and interventions that would assist.
The areas we will cover will include:
- gender role socialization
- women’s mental health
- gender role oppression
- women’s well-being
When we’re looking at being trauma-informed for Women there are still many different pieces that need to be in place. There are many different cultures that women are involved with, heritage, age, knowledge, awareness, and support to name just a few.
Accessibility, availability and diversity in this community is all a necessary component to deal with trauma informed.
For More Information
Videos:
Transcript
To Access the Video Transcript:
1. Click on “YouTube” on the bottom-right of the video. This will take you directly to the YouTube video.
2. Click on the More Actions icon (represented by three horizontal dots)
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For More Information:
- PTSD – CAMH
- Gender Identity Clinic (Adult) – CAMH
- Trauma-informed Services for LGBTQ2S Communities – The 519
- Trauma and violence-informed approaches to policy and practice -Government of Canada
- Cultural Diversity and the Treatment of Trauma – University of Toronto
- History of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Trauma Surgery: for Our Patients, for Our Profession, and for Ourselves
- The Traumatizing Impact of Racism in Canadians of Colour
References:
Videos:
- Interrupting gender bias through meeting culture | Selena Rezvani | TEDxHartford. (2018, December 12). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AX3GuacF6l8
- Gender fluidity: Gabrielle Burton at TEDxColumbus. (2013, October 27). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YOkyc91eY90
- Beyond the Gender Binary | Yee Won Chong | TEDxRainier. (2012, December 13). [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lm4vxZrAig
- Nearly two-thirds of middle-aged and older adults in Canada report adverse childhood experiences. (2021, March 15). [Video]. https://healthsci.mcmaster.ca/home/2021/03/15/nearly-two-thirds-of-middle-aged-and-older-adults-in-canada-report-adverse-childhood-experiences
Articles:
- Tseng, E. S., Williams, B. H., Santry, H. P., Martin, M. J., Bernard, A. C., & Joseph, B. A. (2022). History of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Trauma Surgery: for Our Patients, for Our Profession, and for Ourselves. Current Trauma Reports, 8(4), 214–226. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40719-022-00240-6
- Joshi, D. (2021, January 1). Prevalence of adverse childhood experiences among individuals aged 45 to 85 years: a cross-sectional analysis of the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging. CMAJ Open. https://www.cmajopen.ca/content/9/1/E158.full
- King, E. A. (2017). Outcomes of Trauma-Informed Interventions for Incarcerated Women: A Review. International Journal of Offender Therapy and Comparative Criminology, 61(6), 667–688. https://doi.org/10.1177/0306624X15603082
