Trauma-Informed Care

Every action holds the potential to heal or to harm. Trauma-informed care starts with understanding how trauma shapes behavior, communication, and decision-making. By approaching every interaction with empathy and intention, you can create safe spaces that foster healing and resilience. Dive into the principles of trauma-informed care and discover tools to make a meaningful impact in the lives of those you support.

Trauma 101 Guide: "What Every Professional Should Know" – A foundational overview.
Checklist: Creating a Safe Environment for Trauma Survivors – Actionable tips.
Case Study: Trauma-Informed Practices in Action – Real-world examples.
Infographic: "How Trauma Impacts the Brain and Behavior" – A quick reference.
Podcast Episode: "Building Trust Through Trauma-Informed Care" – Key strategies.
Video: "Recognizing Trauma Triggers and Responding Effectively" – Training material.
Worksheet: Reflecting on Trauma-Informed Interactions – For self-assessment.
Journal Prompts: "Exploring Empathy in Trauma Work" – A reflective tool.
Training Resource: "The Core Principles of Trauma-Informed Care" – Comprehensive material.
Book Recommendation: "The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel van der Kolk – Deep dive.

SAMHSA Trauma Resources – The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration provides free trauma-informed care guides.
The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) – Download their free trauma toolkits.
ACE Questionnaire – A free, accessible tool to assess Adverse Childhood Experiences.
Trauma TED Talks – Examples include Dr. Nadine Burke Harris: How Childhood Trauma Affects Health Across a Lifetime.
Infographics – Search for trauma-related infographics from sites like Canva or Pinterest.
Trauma Podcasts – For example, Trauma Therapist Podcast by Guy Macpherson.
The Window of Tolerance Model – Many free visuals available online.
Trauma Healing Articles – Examples: “What Is Trauma-Informed Care?” (NIH or APA websites).
Trauma Recovery Videos – YouTube has free, high-quality content from trauma experts like Peter Levine.
Trauma Resources from Organizations – Check The Center for Healthcare Strategies or the National Institute for Trauma and Loss in Children.

Think

Cognitive

Understanding, retaining

and using information.

Cognition

Cognitive skills are needed to process information. In order to learn, retain and use our knowledge, we need to be able to use the following skills effectively:

Attend to incoming information (sustained, selective and divided attention).

Quickly process details (processing speed).

Remember what we hear, see or read (working, short-term and long-term memory).

Decide what to do with the information (reasoning and problem solving skills).

More info

Talk

Linguistic

Using language to communicate.

Linguistics

Linguistics is the study of language. In order to communicate effectively we need to have a good command of these language skills:

Form: the sounds, words, and sentences (language) we use to convey information (phonology, morphology and syntax).

Content: putting sounds, words, and sentences together in a way that has meaning (semantics).

Use: following the socially driven rules to utilize language for a purpose (pragmatics).

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Do

Function

Planning, initiating and completing tasks.

Executive Functions

Executive functions are higher level cognitive functions that continue to develop into early

adulthood. These skills are essential to:

Organize/Set Goals

Plan/Prioritize

Initiate/Implement

Following through

Evaluate/Make changes

Self-monitor

Control emotions

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Putting It All Together

Successful functioning is dependent on effective communication.

Effective communication relies on fluid cognition.

Cognitive stress makes thinking and reasoning more difficult.