Here are the words of some experts in the field of trauma and trauma informed practices, because I couldn’t say it better!

What Is Trauma and How Does It Affect the Brain and Body?

“We describe trauma as experiences which are “too much, too fast”, resulting in a person’s nervous system becoming dysregulated. This is also called “shock trauma”, and can be caused by caused by a car accident, an earthquake, sudden bad news, etc. Lived experiences that disrupt the nervous system can also be experiences that include “too little or too much for too long”, which can include developmental, historical and intergenerational trauma. This category also includes child abuse and neglect, racism, homophobia, etc.

Another way to look at our lived experiences is through the categories of “Large T”, “Little t and “Cumulative” or “C Trauma”. Examples of “Large T” trauma could include major events such as natural disasters, war, sexual assaults, child abuse, acts of terrorism, etc. Examples or “Little t” trauma could be a dental procedure, a dob bite, a routine surgery, a fall, or a minor car accident. “Lettle t” traumas are labeled as such not because the person experienced them as a minor event, but because family members and the larger society may deem the event as being of minor significance. “Cumulative trauma, or “C Trauma” was added to our (TRI) conceptualization after a world leader in humanitarian efforts shared about the lingering impact of colonialism on the people of her home country, Kenya.

Others shared the continued micro-aggressions of homophobia, sexism, and racism; indigenous people explained the collective trauma of losing one’s culture and language because of genocide. Many of us have experiences that have impacted our lives. As you learn to work with your mind and body and how to restore balance, you may experience and emergence of hope and even notice a greater sense of well-being.”

Trauma, as defined by: Miller-Karas, E., (2021). Trauma Resiliency Model Workbook (Final Edition). Trauma Resource Institute.

Trauma-Informed Care vs Traditional Care Models

“A program, organization, or system that is trauma-informed realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery; recognizes that signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, families, staff and others involved with the system; and responds by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices, while seeking to actively resist re-traumatization…

Principles for implementing a trauma-informed approach include: safety, trustworthiness and transparency, peer support, collaboration and mutuality, empowerment, voice and choice, and consideration of cultural, historical, and gender factors.”

At the clinical level, trauma informed therapy emphasizes shifting the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” Elements of Trauma-informed therapy involve: psychoeducation, emotional regulation and coping skills, imaginal exposure, cognitive processing, restructuring, and meaning-making, and honing in on emotions like guilt, shame, embarrassment, grief, anger, sadness, fear, etc.”

From: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration: MSHA: Trauma Informed Approaches and Procedures (n.d.): Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration samsah.gov

Final Thoughts: Creating Safer, More Compassionate Care

Presented here is but one take each on defining the terms that could mean so much to practioners and clients alike that are in-the-know. For me, the best example I can think of demonstrating what trauma-informed practices looks like in real time, is when I remember a yoga teacher I adore very much. She placed rocks at the top of each of our mats before class began. On one side, it said “yes, adjustments are welcomed” and the other side said “No thank you”.

When we were settled and after we had set our intentions for the class, she asked us to attend to the rock and flip it to our preference. In this way, direct contact was either permitted or declined, without words, fuss, confusion or stigma. How gentle and thoughtful, indeed!