The Importance Of Trauma-Informed Care

According to the World Mental Health Survey Consortium, approximately 70% of U.S. adults have experienced a traumatic event. For these individuals, trauma-informed care can make a significant difference in healing. However, this often depends on medical and healthcare providers’ awareness of trauma-informed practices. Those who have experienced trauma can often benefit from working with a licensed mental health professional to address any lingering effects or challenges.

Have you experienced a traumatic event?

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What is trauma?

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) describes what it calls the three Es of trauma: “Individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or a set of circumstances that an individual experiences as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that may have lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.”

In recent years, much has been written about the topic of trauma-informed care in both medicine and mental health contexts. The National Center for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) says that trauma-informed approaches “aim to ensure that policies, procedures and environments support safety, healing, empowerment and recovery, as well as reduce practices that may cause stress or remind people of prior traumatic experiences.”

What are the sources of trauma?

Trauma can be the result of numerous life experiences. A person can experience trauma not only from living through a traumatic event firsthand but also from witnessing it, which is sometimes referred to as “vicarious trauma.” 

The following are several common sources of trauma:

Combat experience

Veterans are one group that may be at higher risk of experiencing trauma and developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the National Center for PTSD, about 7% of veterans and 6% of the general adult population may experience PTSD at some point. 

For this reason, it can be helpful for healthcare providers and mental health professionals to be aware of a person’s military experience. Even a person who didn’t participate in combat could experience PTSD if they witnessed a traumatic event. 

While it can be helpful for providers to be aware of a person’s military experience, not everyone who has served in the military develops PTSD. In addition, everyone can respond to PTSD in different ways, so it’s typically best to avoid assumptions about a person’s experiences, even if they served in the military. 

Physical, sexual, or emotional abuse

According to the National Children’s Alliance, over 600,000 children experience abuse every year in the United States. 

Meanwhile, the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence states that “1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. This includes a range of behaviors (e.g. slapping, shoving, pushing) and in some cases might not be considered ‘domestic violence.’"  

These types of abuse can affect people even years after their occurrence, sometimes in ways that people don’t realize. Trauma-informed providers can consider instances of abuse and the possible coping mechanisms that people have developed over the years. 

Abuse can also affect how a person interacts in relationships, both personally and professionally. The impacts of abuse can even affect the therapeutic relationship, so mental health professionals might consider the effects of abuse if they encounter resistance or difficulty forming a trusting relationship with a client.

The death of a loved one

While almost everyone experiences the death of a loved one at some point, this experience can be traumatic for many people, especially those who lose a child or sibling, as well as for children who lose a parent. This experience can have significant repercussions that medical and mental healthcare providers might consider as they assess a person’s symptoms and form a treatment plan.  

A traumatic injury

Some people experience life-changing injuries that create traumatic memories. For some, this type of trauma could be caused by a car accident, the loss of a limb, or a serious brain injury. These injuries can lead individuals to avoid situations or locations that remind them of the injury. They may also have difficulty discussing the subject in therapy. A trauma-informed therapist may detect this hesitance and ease the person into any sensitive topics. 

How trauma-informed care can help

Trauma-informed providers may also be more attuned to bruises and other signs of abuse. In these cases, providers may be able to connect clients with trauma-specific services, including behavioral health services and mental health providers, which may set them on a path toward healing.

Trauma-informed approaches may also consider factors related to discrimination, such as race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic background. Individuals from minority communities may have experienced trauma from overt or covert discrimination, even at a very young age. Medical and mental healthcare providers may help by maintaining awareness of these possibilities while also not assuming that a person from one of these communities is currently experiencing trauma related to their background. 

Regardless of the type of trauma a person has experienced, a trauma-informed approach may be more cost-effective in the long run when individuals are connected to the services they need early in the treatment process. Early intervention across service systems may lead to faster improvement, which may reduce the long-term need for medical and mental healthcare appointments. 

Mental health providers trained in trauma-informed care can also make a significant difference in a person’s healing. Those who are aware of the effects of trauma may tailor their approaches in a way that increases adherence to the treatment plan. 

Have you experienced a traumatic event?

Receive support from a licensed therapist

Seeking trauma-informed care

Individuals who have experienced trauma may benefit from speaking with a licensed mental health professional, but it’s not always comfortable to discuss trauma with a therapist face-to-face. Online therapy can offer additional options, such as video conference, phone call, and online chat, so individuals can customize the therapy experience to their comfort levels. 

In recent years, numerous studies have suggested that online therapy can be effective for various mental health concerns. One study published in 2022 found that online therapy was usually just as effective as in-person therapy for PTSD. The study also found that online therapy was typically more affordable than in-office therapy.