Trauma-Informed 101
One of the biggest challenges we have when we interact with others is that we often believe the assumptions that we have formed. We make up stories to create meaning so that we can make sense of our experiences. Unfortunately, many of the stories (assumptions) we make up are incorrect. The danger in that is found systemically; in the work place, in the healthcare system, in schools and even within families.
When someone as experienced a perceived trauma, they have feared for their physical and/or emotional safety to the point where their functioning of their mental, physical, social, emotional and/or spiritual well-being has been compromised. For some people, this means their ability to function on a regular basis is not possible due to intruding reactions. For others, the debilitating moments come and go.
There are a myriad of reactions that people experience due to trauma ranging anywhere from being short-tempered and on edge, having bad dreams, feeling anxious frequently, feeling unsafe for seemingly no reason, difficulty with memory and focus, difficulty with relationships, feeling uncomfortable in one’s own skin, having challenges managing or even experiencing feelings and emotions, and the list goes on.
Taking a trauma-informed approach is a way to remember to stay calm, be curious, offer information and try to refrain from taking other people’s reactions personally. Often times, it has nothing to do with you. If a person’s reaction does not match the context (someone gets extremely irritable or worked up due to a ‘simple’ request) that is sometimes a cue that they have been triggered.
If you are the one who is living with trauma, it can be helpful to reach out to a support person when you are about to embark on something that might be scary and triggering. This can mean having someone accompany you to appointments, ensuring that you gather as much information as possible when entering into a potentially triggering scenario, use tools you have available to help you stay calm and level (breathing exercises, 5-4-3-2-1, body tapping, etc.). If you do not have tools available to you, that might be a good sign to reach out for help. A trauma-informed therapist will be able to teach you some skills that are designed to help you regulate your system and manage your feelings and emotions so you remain in control, even in uncomfortable situations.
