The term “trauma-informed” emerges from a growing understanding of the far reaching ways that trauma impacts health and well-being. Trauma is defined here, in keeping with the scientific literature, as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience(s) that overwhelms an individual’s ability to cope, and significantly impacts their mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Trauma has hallmark brain activity, including an overwhelming response, and hyperactivity, in the amygdala.

The amygdala helps with essential functions such as detecting and responding to threats, encoding emotional memories, and regulating emotional responses, and is fully activated during traumatic events. Trauma can result from a single event or from prolonged exposure to adverse conditions. The effects of prolonged exposure to stress hormones activated by trauma can be pervasive and long-lasting, and includes greater risk of depression, anxiety, chaotic substance use, unstable relationships, unstable work lives, and many poor physical health outcomes like increased risks for high blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, diabetes, etc.

“Trauma-informed” has emerged as language to describe the ways that service providers must adopt a mindset and approach that prioritizes understanding, empathy, and support for those who have experienced trauma. It involves creating environments and practices that promote safety, trust, and healing, while recognizing and addressing the complex effects of trauma on individuals and communities.

Ideally this means understanding that the population you serve is in need of:

• Safety
• People Who Are Trustworthy and Transparent
• Peer Support
• Collaboration and Mutuality
• Empowerment and Choice
• Recognition of Structural Inequalities

In practice this means:

• Understanding trauma and its impact: Recognizing that trauma can result from various experiences, including violence, abuse, neglect, extreme poverty, incarceration, and systemic oppression.
• Understanding the broad impact trauma can have on mental, emotional, and physical health.
• Recognizing signs and symptoms: Being able to identify key signs and physiological symptoms of trauma in participants and others.
• Integrating trauma knowledge into practices: Applying knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices. This means adopting strategies that minimize the risk of re-traumatization and that promote healing and recovery.
• Resisting re-traumatization: Actively working to avoid practices and behaviors that could re-traumatize individuals. This involves being mindful of triggers and creating a supportive environment that minimizes re-traumatization and maximizes building trust and community.