Trauma-Informed Practice & Prevention
Principles for Trauma-Informed Organizations
Trauma-Informed care is more than a set of practices—it’s an organizational mindset. It develops in four stages:
Trauma Aware – Understanding what trauma is, its prevalence, and its impacts.
Trauma Sensitive – Adjusting policies and environment to reflect trauma awareness; offering basic staff training.
Trauma Responsive – Applying trauma-informed language and practices in daily operations; prioritizing safety, choice, and collaboration.
Fully Trauma-Informed – Making trauma awareness and resilience core to the organization’s mission and operations.
Core Principles
Awareness: Recognize that trauma is widespread and deeply impactful.
Safety & Trustworthiness: Ensure physical, emotional, and cultural safety for clients and staff.
Choice & Collaboration: Share power and decision-making to empower individuals.
Connection: Build supportive relationships to counter isolation.
Cultural Responsiveness: Respect and integrate cultural traditions, language, and values.
Qualities of Trauma-Informed Providers
Empathy and Compassion: Engage without pity or judgment.
Clear Communication: Speak openly and respectfully about difficult topics.
Self-Awareness: Recognize personal trauma history and unconscious biases.
Flexibility: Adapt to the unexpected.
Emotional Regulation: Maintain calm under pressure.
Humility: Willingness to learn from clients and community.
Preventing Re-Traumatization
Re-traumatization happens when interactions, environments, or systems recreate elements of a person’s past trauma—often unintentionally.
Common triggers:
Sensory cues (sounds, smells, environments).
Power imbalances in relationships.
Invasive questioning or lack of choice.
Prevention strategies:
Build trust through consistency and transparency.
Be aware of cultural context and individual history.
Offer choices wherever possible.
Maintain clear and respectful communication.
Support self-care for staff and clients.
Tips for Supporting Survivors
Give them time to share at their own pace.
Listen actively without rushing or interrupting.
Accept feelings without trying to “fix” them.
Avoid blame or judgment.
Use their own words when reflecting back their story.
Validate their experience and resilience.