Note: This “wiki” page is written for volunteers and “general” non-profit employees, not for medical or mental health professionals. It is an intentionally “basic” introduction to enable you to get started on this important topic that affects the lives of the people you serve.
Introduction:
Psychological trauma is damage to the mind that occurs as a result of a distressing event. Trauma is often the result of an overwhelming amount of stress that exceeds one’s ability to cope, or integrate the emotions involved with that experience. Trauma may result from a single distressing experience or recurring events of being overwhelmed that can be precipitated in weeks, years, or even decades as the person struggles to cope with the immediate circumstances, eventually leading to serious, long-term negative consequences. Source: Wikipedia.
Skill Definition:
- I can ask questions to ascertain potential elements of trauma in the people I serve.
- I can use to my understanding to deliver “trauma informed care”.
Key Learning Points:
- Trauma is common in the people served by local non profits.
- Trauma examples include abuse, divorce of parents, death of a family member and more. See Deeper Topics for more info.
- There is a relationship between ACES (__) and incidents of poverty, alcohol and drug abuse …
Learning Path:
- Develop a general understanding of trauma and the elements that cause it.
- Use your knowledge and experience to improve your care delivery, e.g. case management or mentoring.
Deeper Topics:
- Causes of Trauma. Source: Looking Through Their Eyes. The most common causes of childhood trauma include: accidents, bullying/cyberbullying, chaos or dysfunction in the house (such as domestic violence, parent with a mental illness, substance abuse or incarcerated), death of a loved one, emotional abuse or neglect, physical abuse or neglect, separation from a parent or caregiver, sexual abuse, stress caused by poverty, sudden and/or serious medical condition, violence (at home, at school, or in the surrounding community), war/terrorism and more.
- Outcomes of Trauma.
Image Source.
- Trauma Informed Care. Source: Trauma Informed Care Resource Center. Trauma-informed care shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” A trauma-informed approach to care acknowledges that health care organizations and care teams need to have a complete picture of a patient’s life situation — past and present — in order to provide effective health care services with a healing orientation. Adopting trauma-informed practices can potentially improve patient engagement, treatment adherence, and health outcomes, as well as provider and staff wellness. It can also help reduce avoidable care and excess costs for both the health care and social service sectors. Trauma-informed care seeks to:
- Realize the widespread impact of trauma and understand paths for recovery;
- Recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma in patients, families, and staff;
- Integrate knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices; and
- Actively avoid re-traumatization.
Image Source.
We were privileged to have Dr. Victor Garcia speak at our 2021 Greater Cincinnati Mentor Leadership Alliance.
Click here to see his video, slides and many resources.
Exercises:
- Consider using the Understanding Trauma and Its Impact Activity Packet to create content for your organization.
Questions to Encourage Critical Thinking:
- What are examples of trauma exist in my own life or in the lives of people I live and work with?
- If I learn that trauma is an influence, how will it affect me in conducting my job (or volunteer role).
Tools and Templates:
Word Definition:
- Trauma. a deeply distressing or disturbing experience; emotional shock following a stressful event or a physical injury, which may be associated with physical shock and sometimes leads to long-term neurosis.
Web Articles:
- What is Trauma-Informed Care by the Center for Health Care Strategies.
- Emotional and Psychological Trauma by TheHelpGuide.org
- Trauma by the American Psychological Association
Books:
- Healing the Fragmented Selves of Trauma Survivors by Janina Fisher
- Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky.
Videos:
- Through Our Eyes: Children, Violence, and Trauma—Introduction on YouTube.
- Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on YouTube.
Local Workshops:
- We would like to add locally available workshops. Contact Tony Aloise is you have a workshop or training event to share.
Quotes:
- “Trauma has the power to rob our lives of vitality and destroy it. However, we can also use it for powerful self-renewal and transformation. Trauma, resolved, is a blessing from a greater power.” Peter Levine
One-Point Lessons:
- None at this time.