
Six Principles of Trauma Informed Care
- 1. Safety Throughout the organization, staff and the people they serve feel physically and psychologically safe.
- 2. Trustworthiness and transparency ...
- 3. Peer support and mutual self-help ...
- 4. Collaboration and mutuality ...
- 5. Empowerment voice, and choice ...
- 6. Cultural, historical, and gender issues ...
- Safety.
- Trustworthiness & transparency.
- Peer support.
- Collaboration & mutuality.
- Empowerment & choice.
- Cultural, historical & gender issues.
What is Trauma Informed Care and why is it important?
Trauma-informed care recognizes how trauma affects the brain. Hyperactivity in the lower areas of the brain—the amygdala and hippocampus—overrides the prefrontal cortex, which is in charge of rational choices and modulating emotional responses. This keeps a person in survival mode. Memories can also be stored in the wrong place, keeping ...
What is the purpose of Trauma Informed Care?
- Realize the widespread impact of trauma and understand paths for recovery;
- Recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma in patients, families, and staff;
- Integrate knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices; and
- Actively avoid re-traumatization.
What does Trauma Informed therapy mean?
Trauma-informed treatment involves explaining the client’s trauma and its impact on their behavior, mental health, and ability to participate in treatment. The therapist who understands trauma assumes that the client may have a history of trauma and will take measures to avoid inadvertently triggering or re-harming the client during treatment.
What is the definition of Trauma Informed Care?
“Trauma-informed care is a strengths based framework that is grounded in an understanding of and responsiveness to the impact of trauma, that emphasizes physical, psychological, and emotional safety for both providers and survivors, and that creates opportunities for survivors

What are the 6 principles of a trauma informed approach?
Healthcare organizations, nurses and other medical staff need to know the six principles of trauma-informed care: safety; trustworthiness and transparency; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment, voice and choice; and cultural issues.
What are the 6 guiding principles?
The six guiding principlesGuiding principle 1: Purpose.Guiding principle 2: Economic value.Guiding principle 3: The role and responsibility of companies.Guiding principle 4: Innovation.Guiding principle 5: Competition.Guiding principle 6: Profit.
What are the 8 principles of trauma informed care?
Trauma Informed Care PrinciplesSafety. Throughout the organization, staff and the people they serve feel physically and psychologically safe.Trustworthiness and transparency. ... Peer support and mutual self-help. ... Collaboration and mutuality. ... Empowerment voice, and choice. ... Cultural, historical, and gender issues.
What are the 4 R's of trauma informed care?
The trauma-informed approach is guided four assumptions, known as the “Four R's”: Realization about trauma and how it can affect people and groups, recognizing the signs of trauma, having a system which can respond to trauma, and resisting re-traumatization.
What are the 5 pillars of trauma informed care?
The Five Guiding Principles are; safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness and empowerment. Ensuring that the physical and emotional safety of an individual is addressed is the first important step to providing Trauma-Informed Care. Next, the individual needs to know that the provider is trustworthy.
What are the 7 main principles?
Humanity, impartiality, neutrality, independence, voluntary service, unity and universality: these seven Fundamental Principles sum up the Movement's ethics and are at the core of its approach to helping people in need during armed conflict, natural disasters and other emergencies.
What are the 3 E's of trauma?
Experience, and EffectThe keywords in SAMHSA's concept are The Three E's of Trauma: Event(s), Experience, and Effect. When a person is exposed to a traumatic or stressful event, how they experience it greatly influences the long-lasting adverse effects of carrying the weight of trauma.
What are the 7 domains of trauma?
The FDA considers the following 7 Developmental Domains:N. eurological and Biological Maturity.O. ver-reactive Stress Response.E. motional Regulation.A. ttachment Style and Relationships.
What are the 3 key elements of trauma?
So, as discussed in the definition, there are three parts to trauma: event, experience of the event, and effect.
What are the most important principles of care for trauma patients?
The top priority in trauma care is keeping the airway patent (open) and keeping the patient breathing. The patient's breathing and vital signs are assessed. If the patient is unconscious, their airway is secured, and breathing assistance is provided. Steps are taken to control bleeding.
What are the best practices for trauma treatment?
The gold standard for treating PTSD symptoms is psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive processing therapy, and prolonged exposure therapy. EMDR and EFT have also shown promise in helping people recover from PTSD.
What is the primary goal of trauma informed care?
Trauma-informed care acknowledges the need to understand a patient's life experiences in order to deliver effective care and has the potential to improve patient engagement, treatment adherence, health outcomes, and provider and staff wellness.
What are the 10 guiding principles?
My ten guiding leadership principles are:Passion. Passion for the work and mission of one's organisation is the fuel for a successful organisation. ... Self-awareness. ... Team Selection. ... Motivation. ... Delegation. ... Organisational Health. ... Innovation. ... Productivity.More items...
What are the 12 guiding principles?
The 12 Guiding PrinciplesThe Primary Period.Forming the Core Blueprint.Continuum of Development.Capacities & Capabilities.Relationship.Innate Need.Communication.Mother-Baby Interconnectedness.More items...
What are the 9 guiding principles?
Examples of the 9 Guiding Principles in UseFocus on Value. ... Design for Experience. ... Start Where You Are. ... Work Holistically. ... Progress Iteratively. ... Observe Directly. ... Be Transparent. ... Collaborate.More items...•
What are the guiding principles?
Guiding principles are any principles or precepts that guide an organization throughout it life in all circumstances, irrespective of changes in its goals, strategies, type of work or the top management (source: The Business Dictionary).
What are the six principles of trauma informed care?
Healthcare organizations, nurses and other medical staff need to know the six principles of trauma-informed care: safety; trustworthiness and transparency; peer support; collaboration and mutuality; empowerment, voice and choice; and cultural issues.
How to provide trauma informed care?
To provide trauma-informed care, nurses, doctors and other medical professionals must thoroughly understand various traumatic conditions and how they affect patient care. Medical professionals need to acknowledge that each patient may have experienced a traumatic event that may prevent them from being open about their healthcare problems. By actively listening to patients, professionals can determine a patient’s needs as opposed to trying to “fix” or “heal” a condition.
What Is Trauma-Informed Care?
Trauma-informed care approaches patients’ healthcare needs in a manner that takes into account any trauma that they may have experienced. A key goal of trauma-informed care is to prevent any re-traumatization that could prevent patients from continuing to seek care. When used effectively, trauma-informed care enables nurses and other medical professionals to ensure that healthcare processes, procedures and settings protect patients and staff from re-traumatization.
Why do nurses need to be transparent with patients?
Nurses need to be transparent with patients to build a sense of trustworthiness, especially when patients have suffered traumatic events such as domestic violence, assault or other forms of abuse. In many of these cases, patients are afraid to seek medical care because they lack a sense of trust.
What is the importance of transparency in healthcare?
Healthcare facilities must also embody a sense of trustworthiness and transparency. Employees should be well-informed about policies and procedures that may impact how they are able to care for patients. Moreover, these organizations and employees need to provide transparency when explaining the type of care they are providing to patients and the overall cost of this care.
What are the effects of childhood trauma?
In many cases this trauma can lead to anxiety, depression and addiction, as well as to hypertension and diabetes. Untreated trauma also can prevent people from seeking healthcare services.
Who is best suited to provide care for patients with similar trauma?
Medical professionals who have experience with certain types of trauma may be best suited to provide care for patients with similar trauma. For example, a medical professional who has experienced assault in the past could be best suited to provide care for a patient dealing with this particular trauma.
Why is Trauma-Informed Care Important?
An extensive look into patient’s past trauma is vital for health care policymakers and providers across the world.
What is Trauma-Informed Care?
Trauma-informed care (TIC) recognizes the potentially adverse impacts traumatic experiences have on an individual and commits to not repeating these experiences, as well as restoring a sense of safety, strength, and self-worth.
What is trauma informed care?
Trauma-informed care is based on the understanding that: 1 a significant number of people living with mental health conditions have experienced trauma in their lives 2 trauma may be a factor for people in distress 3 the impact of trauma may be lifelong 4 trauma can impact the person, their emotions and relationships with others.
What is trauma defined by?
Trauma is defined by the impact that an experience has had on the individual rather than by the event itself.
Do people with mental health issues have trauma?
a significant number of people living with mental health conditions have experienced trauma in their lives
How to provide trauma informed care?
The following key principles of trauma-informed care should serve as a guide for all health care clinicians and staff: 1 Establish the physical and emotional safety of patients and staff 2 Build trust between providers and patients 3 Recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma exposure on physical and mental health 4 Promote patient-centered, evidence-based care 5 Ensure provider and patient collaboration by bringing patients into the treatment process and discussing mutually agreed upon goals for treatment 6 Provide care that is sensitive to the patient’s racial, ethnic, and cultural background, and gender identity
What is trauma informed care?
Trauma-informed care recognizes and responds to the signs, symptoms, and risks of trauma to better support the health needs of patients who have experienced Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and toxic stress. Trauma-informed care is a framework that involves: (1)
What can providers provide to trauma patients?
In the primary care context, providers can provide supportive, compassionate responses to trauma histories of ACEs or other adversities without eliciting specific details.
What is trauma integration?
Integrating knowledge about trauma and adversity into policies, procedures, practices and treatment planning; and
How to ensure patient and provider collaboration?
Ensure provider and patient collaboration by bringing patients into the treatment process and discussing mutually agreed upon goals for treatment
Who to refer patients to for trauma specific therapy?
Refer patients to mental health providers who are trained in evidence-based trauma-specific therapy, if necessary.
How to maintain emotional safety?
Maintain emotional safety by approaching patients who have experienced ACEs and other adversities with non-judgmental support. Assess for, recognize, and integrate patient strengths and experiences into a jointly formulated treatment plan.
What is trauma informed?
All people at all levels in an organization or system have a basic realization about trauma and understand how trauma can affect families, groups, organizations, and communities as well as individuals . “A program, organization, or system that is trauma-informed realizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands potential paths for recovery;
What is universal trauma precautions?
Universal Trauma Precautions (Trauma Awareness) Assume that all people and connected persons with whom you are working are coping with the effects of trauma and modify your practice accordingly. Recognizing how your organization, your program, your environment, and your practice could potentially act as a trauma trigger.
What are some examples of triggers that can create a sense of fear, helplessness, and overwhelm a person?
Early developmental trauma, including child abuse, neglect, violence persisting into adulthood, and drug misuse are only some of the examples of triggers that can create a sense of fear, helplessness, and overwhelm a person’s resources for coping, self-regulation, and perception of control, interpersonal relationships and self-efficacy.
How to increase sense of safety?
Establish and maintain predictable routines to increase the sense of safety. Maintain a calm environment to decrease hyperarousal. Support and promote positive and stable relationships in the person’s life. Ensure opportunities for success. Trustworthiness.

Safety
Trustworthiness and Transparency
Peer Support
- Organizations that are trauma-informed prioritize practices like peer support. This principle is about integrating the culture and values of peer support into the whole organization. It’s about creating opportunities for the mutuality of peer support to integrate into many aspects of the organization, including initiatives to support admin and staff. A campus, or organization that pro…
Collaboration and Mutuality
- A collaborative approach is necessary for everyone in an organization or on a campus. In a trauma-informed organization there is an intentional shoulder to shoulder approach and a focus on breaking down hierarchies. We can’t avoid the fact that there are different roles with different levels of responsibility. However, power differentials can be broken down, and though people ha…
Empowerment, Voice, and Choice
- An important aspect of this principle is that organizations must believe in the possibility of recovery from trauma. Trauma survivors are already resilient. Empowerment means that they continue to support people’s inner resilience. We think of empowerment as coming from the person’s own inner wisdom and strength, rather than power given to themfrom...
Cultural, Historical and Gender Issues
- The SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach says this about an organization with a trauma-informed approach: We choose to see through a trauma-informed lens every day, doing everything we can to ensure we do not unintentionally retraumatize someone.
What Trauma-Informed Care Is Not
- Trauma-Informed Care is NOT: 1. Trauma therapy. You don’t need to be a clinician to support someone. Some people may also need trauma therapy, and that needs to be offered by a trained trauma therapist. However, there are many things that are therapeutic that can be just as transformative, or even more so. Building healing-centered relationships is an essential part of t…