RW: Trauma Informed Care Flashcards
Trauma
Single or multiple experiences that completely overwhelm the individual’s ability to cope or integrate the ideas and emotions involved in that experience
Has negative effects on the mind, body and/or spirit
What determines trauma?
Not the event but the individual’s experience and the meaning they make of it
Three common elements of trauma
unpredictable
could not be prevented
could not be escaped
Types of Trauma
a. single incident trauma
(car accident, assault)
b. complex or repetitive trauma
(ongoing abuse, neglect)
c. developmental trauma (influence child’s ability to develop physically or health relationships)
d. Intergenerational trauma
(affecting those and those who live with trauma survivors, indigenous, holocaust)
e. historical trauma
(cumulative, affects broader communities of people)
Effects of trauma
a. fight or flight traumatic stress response
b. physical and emotional reactions over short or long term
- shaking, rapid breathing, nausea, cold sweats, dizziness
- anxiety, terror, anger, shame, disconnection, intrusive thoughts, regression (children)
c. emotional dysregulation
- hyper-arousal, hyper-vigilance
- dissociative state (cut off from events happening around you)
Resiliency
The capacity of individuals to navigate their way to resources that sustain their well-being
Their capacity individually and collectively to negotiate for these resources to be provided in culturally meaningful way
- an intrinsic characteristic
Resilience Factors
- general
- relationship factors
- community
- cultural
- physical ecology
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
DSM5
Caused by trauma
Not due to substance use, medication or other illnesses
Symptoms (more than 1 month): intrusion, avoidance, negative thoughts and mood, arousal and reactivity, causes functional problems
PTSD Triggers
Something that sets off a memory tape or flashback transporting the person back to the event of their original trauma
- very personal
- can be activated by one or more of the five senses
Trauma-Informed Care
A strengths-based framework that is grounded in an understanding and responsiveness to the impact of trauma
- emphasizes physical, psychological and emotional safety for both providers and survivors
- creates opportunities for survivors to rebuild sense of control and empowerment
Guiding Principles of Trauma-Informed Care
a. acknowledgement (be trauma aware, recognize behaviours and triggers)
b. safety and trust (communicate, respectful language, ensure privacy)
c. choice, control and collaboration (foster self-efficacy, dignity and control, client-driven goals)
d. compassion (positive, welcoming environment, validate feelings, stay present)
e. strengths-based (identify and build on strengths, resilient, enhance abilities)
Grounding Technique
An emotional regulation strategy to detach from emotional pain
Uses distraction to detach from overwhelming emotions and gain control over them
- focus on external world
- NOT relaxation, more effective for TIC
Grounding Guidelines
- eyes opened, lights on to help stay in touch with present
- refrain from talking about negative feelings
- focus on present, not the past or future
- can be done anytime, anywhere
Types of Grounding Strategies
a. Mental grounding
- visualizing an image in mind or mental exercise
b. Physical Grounding
- a coordinating task
c. Soothing Grounding
- particular ritual
Benefits of Grounding
- self-soothing technique
- emotion regulation
