Trauma- and Violence-Informed Care

Health professionals should have a trauma-informed care approach when working with clients because it recognizes the widespread impact of trauma.

Through this work, it is likely that health professionals will work with clients who have severe mental health conditions and have some history with trauma. Preventing retraumatization is key and one of the reasons why a trauma- and violence-informed care approach is so crucial.

Video: Trauma-Specific Skills

3:40

In this video, we will learn about why health professionals should possess some trauma-specific skills when working with clients in psychedelic-assisted therapy.

Types of Trauma

Trauma can manifest in a myriad of ways and arises from various circumstances. Please see below for some broad categories of trauma.

Shocking Adversities Trauma

These could include a single-incident trauma such as abuse, assault, injury, disaster, or massive loss. Shocking adversities may also be vicarious.
Relational-Developmental Trauma

These are also known as the burden of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and occurs because of enduring circumstances such as emotional neglect, failures in human connection and attachment, and intergenerational trauma.
Trauma of Oppression

This type of trauma is commonly experienced by racialized and marginalized populations and those with intergenerational, multigenerational, and historical trauma.
Complex Trauma

When relational-developmental, trauma of oppression, or shocking adversities trauma occur simultaneously or in accumulating experiences.

Establishing a Trauma- and Violence-Informed Care Approach

There are several approaches that can be taken to adopt a trauma- and violence-informed care model. Below are some general underlying approaches.

Learning how trauma manifests in the body and mind as well as the different forms of trauma are key to this approach. Part of understanding trauma is also adopting a commitment to ongoing learning about trauma and violence and the impacts of these on people (CEWH, 2013).

It’s important to work towards establishing not only a physically safe environment but an emotionally safe one too. Learning to develop trust with clients who have experience with traumas is also vital (CEWH, 2013).

A trauma- and violence-informed care approach should allow clients to have choice and freedom of decision as it relates to their healing journey. Health professionals should promote collaboration between themselves and clients as well as prioritize building a strong connection (CEWH, 2013).

In addition to helping clients heal from their trauma, there should be a focus on helping clients to develop new skills and coping strategies (CEWH, 2013).

Learn More

In the Fundamentals of Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy course, we spend a whole module discussing trauma and how it manifests in the body. We will also learn what it means to embody a trauma- and violence-informed care approach and ways that you can incorporate this into your practice.

References

Centre of excellence for women’s health (2013). Trauma-informed practice guide [PDF].

Haines, S. (2019). The politics of trauma: somatics, healing, and social justice. North Atlantic Books.