Find Trauma-Informed Therapists near you

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FAQs:

What is a Trauma-Informed Care Specialist?

Trauma-informed specialists, or trauma-informed coordinators as they are sometimes known, work with doctors, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and teachers to help treat victims of trauma.

Conducting research and distributing educational materials at training sessions around the country, trauma-informed coordinators help care, providers, understand the role various types of trauma play in their client’s lives. They teach support staff to work toward better health and social outcomes by avoiding re-traumatizing survivors unintentionally.

Trauma-informed specialists perform several duties across the corporate, educational, and private sectors. Primarily, they are educators who help public health professionals understand and adopt a new approach to care that recognizes the prevalence of personal trauma in many people’s histories.

What Does a Trauma-Informed Care Specialist Do?

Much of the challenge of working as a Certified Trauma Therapist involves assembling and teaching key concepts to medical and social work practitioners, as well as participating in research studies to improve best practices. Common duties include:

1. Coordinating workshops, faculty conferences, and community events to spread understanding about trauma-informed care.

2. Collecting and interpreting data from patient studies and personal histories to develop a picture of how trauma histories affect people’s reactions to care professionals. 

3. Training and coaching other professionals in key program concepts. 

4. Conducting refresher training at intervals using nationally recognized concepts in trauma-informed mental and emotional healthcare.

5. Assessing physical spaces for potentially triggering or otherwise distressing stimuli that can induce counterproductive emotional reactions in doctors’ offices, community centers, and schools.

6. Organizing fundraisers and finding public sector funding sources and other sources of grant money and support for research opportunities.

7. Explaining trauma-informed care in an intelligible way to a lay audience.

What is the Education Requirement for a Trauma-Informed Care Specialist?

A bachelor’s degree in a compatible field, such as psychology, social work, counseling, or education, is usually the first step for those wishing to work as a trauma-informed specialist. Most organizations will also require a master’s degree as well, in similar studies.

What are the Certification Requirements for Trauma-Informed Care Specialists?

Certified trauma-informed specialist careers cover a vast sweep of practices, and certification requirements are as diverse as career opportunities. Credentials in this field are provided by several organizations, each of which has its own similar but distinct requirements.

1. Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists (ATSS): The ATSS certifies specialists as Certified Trauma Responders (CTRs), Certified Trauma Services Specialists (CTSS) and Certified Trauma Treatment Specialists (CTTS). Requirements for each of these certifications range from 40 hours of experience working in a trauma environment to 1,900 hours of clinical instruction and membership in the ATSS.

2. International Association of Trauma Professionals (IATP): The IATP provides certification in lower-level trauma-informed specialty fields, such as Certified Family Trauma-Informed Professionals. Many of the Association’s certificates require 12.5-course hours and passing an online test that ranges between 40 and 50 questions. Online training is also provided by the Association as part of a 12-week course that ends with testing for credentials.

3. National Institute for Trauma & Loss in Children (TLC): TLC provides certification in several trauma-informed fields with online coursework and examinations. Higher-level certification is available for more demanding fields, such as for Advanced Certified Trauma Professional – Clinical, which requires a passing grade on the level-2 exam from TLC.

What is Trauma?

Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, crime, natural disaster, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, experiencing or witnessing violence, the death of a loved one, war, and more. Immediately after the event, shock, and denial are typical. Longer-term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea.

What is Trauma-Informed Care?

Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is an organizational change process that requires all individuals, practices protocols, and environments to engage in universal precaution for trauma. Organizations that use a trauma-informed approach fully integrate awareness of individual, historical, racial, and systemic trauma into all aspects of functioning to provide environments for everyone in the organization that intentionally reduce the likelihood of further harm and allow opportunities for healing and growth. All layers of the organization demonstrate a paradigm shift from asking, “What is wrong with you?” to “What has happened to you?”

What is Trauma Informed Coaching?

Trauma-informed coaching is an approach to coaching that considers the potential impact of trauma on an individual’s life and seeks to create a safe and supportive environment for clients who have experienced trauma. The primary goal of trauma-informed coaching is to help clients heal and build resilience while honoring their unique experiences and perspectives.

Trauma-informed coaches have training in client regulation, brain-body connection, behavioral reaction, different types of traumas, leading causes, and subsequent symptoms. They have learned the proper channels for referral and the growing relationship between clinical professionals, therapists, and coaches. To become a Trauma-Informed Coach, one must have authenticity, strong values, and beliefs that are not limiting working in this area. They will have learned methods to help ‘regulate’ the nervous system, discard shame and guilt through powerful questions, and recognize and promote wellness as it starts to develop.

What’s the Difference Between Trauma-Informed Care and Trauma Treatment?

Trauma Therapy and Trauma-Informed Care are two different approaches to mental health and trauma therapy. Both types of care require a thorough understanding of trauma. However, trauma-focused care is more about treating specific traumas or traumas, while trauma-informed care is practiced with an informed awareness of the possibility of trauma in the patient’s life and how it can impact all aspects of their life.

As the name suggests, trauma-focused care is focused on the traumas themselves, where a therapist will work to understand the impact of specific traumas on an individual’s life. The role of the therapist is to help the person process the traumas and identify positive or negative ways that they have learned to cope. They will help the person understand his/her situation and teach strategies to express themselves and cope with potentially stressful situations. The therapist can offer the individual tools to help them manage ongoing difficult feelings, negative thoughts, and unhelpful behaviors.

Trauma-informed care is not about any one trauma. Rather, it is an approach through which a therapist can recognize the impacts trauma has had on a person. This method can be used in any setting, even when a person is not directly discussing their trauma. One of the main goals of trauma-informed care is to avoid retraumatising the person. It is an approach in the human service field that assumes that an individual is more likely than not to have a history of trauma. Thus, the intention of Trauma-Informed Care is not to treat symptoms or issues related to any form of trauma but rather to provide support services in a way that is accessible and appropriate to those who may have experienced trauma.

Elements of Trauma-Informed Care

The ‘Three Es’ framework provides specialists, employers, and family members with a broad and flexible construct for understanding how trauma, in a variety of ways, impacts individuals, relationships, families, and by extension – communities. Here are the 3 elements of trauma-informed care:

The Events, or what objectively occurred can vary greatly, such as high levels of change, neglect, and unpredictability during childhood, abuse/violence/assaults, natural disasters, systemic oppression, medical events/illness, exposure to death, or life-threatening experiences. 

The individual’s Experience of these events refers to how they processed or didn’t process the event(s) and can be highly influenced by key factors such as cultural beliefs, relationships & connection to others, and access to community resources and social supports. How the individual labels, assigns meaning to, and is disrupted physically or psychologically by the event(s) is also important. 

The Effects of the events & the experiences refer to both short- and long-term adverse effects. Considering how the event(s) and the experiencing of the event(s) begin informing beliefs and behaviors, the impact on trust and benefits of relationships, difficulty adapting to stressors, inability to manage memory and attention, etc. All of these can contribute to the development of depression, anxiety signs, and symptoms.

4 R’s of a Trauma-Informed Approach

A trauma-informed approach is built on four key assumptions: realization, recognition, response, and resisting re-traumatization. Outlined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), these assumptions create the foundation for developing environments that support healing and resilience for people affected by trauma.

1. Realization

The first step is realizing that trauma affects people in many different ways. It’s about understanding that trauma can impact someone’s physical health, mental health, and overall behavior. Recognizing this helps create an environment that acknowledges the widespread effects of trauma and the need for comprehensive care.

2. Recognize

Next is recognizing the signs and symptoms of trauma by being aware of the physical, emotional, and behavioral indicators that someone may be experiencing trauma. By recognizing these signs, professionals can provide the right support and interventions, ensuring that everyone receives the care they need.

3. Respond

Responding to trauma involves integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices. Creating a supportive environment can help people feel safe and respected. It also includes training staff to handle trauma-related issues with sensitivity and care, ensuring that the response to trauma is compassionate and informed.

4. Resist Re-traumatizing

Resisting re-traumatization is about actively working to avoid situations that might trigger traumatic memories or experiences. It’s important to understand what might cause re-traumatization and to take steps to prevent it. By creating secure, supportive environments, professionals can help people on their healing journey without causing further harm.

Principles of Trauma-Informed Care

The following are recognized core principles of a trauma-informed approach to care that are necessary to transform a healthcare setting:

1. Safety

Throughout the organization, patients and staff feel physically and psychologically safe.

2. Trustworthiness + Transparency

Decisions are made with transparency, and to build and maintain trust.

3. Peer Support

Individuals with shared experiences are integrated into the organization and viewed as integral to service delivery.

4. Collaboration

Power differences — between staff and clients and among organizational staff — are leveled to support shared decision-making.

5. Empowerment

Patient and staff strengths are recognized, built on, and validated — this includes a belief in resilience and the ability to heal from trauma.

6. Humility + Responsiveness

Biases and stereotypes (e.g., based on race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, and geography) and historical trauma are recognized and addressed.

Why Trauma Healing Support is Important

One of the goals of trauma-informed care is to provide you with a physically, emotionally, and mentally safe space to get healthcare. The safer you feel, the more likely you are to seek healthcare, which can help prevent worsening symptoms later.

For trauma survivors, regular healthcare can be particularly important. People with a history of trauma may be at higher risk for several mental and physical health conditions. These can include:

- Heart disease

- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)

- Fractures

- Liver disease

- Major depression

- Substance use disorders

- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

- Sexually transmitted infections

- Eating disorders

- Autoimmune diseases

Another important goal of trauma-informed care is to protect you from re-traumatization. Retraumatization is the reliving of a previous traumatic event. It can sometimes bring back the same feelings that you experienced when you were first traumatized — like fear, anger, or helplessness.

Providers who aren’t trauma-informed may be more likely to retraumatize you without meaning to. For example, they might minimize your memory of an abusive incident. Or they might demand that you follow a treatment plan without giving you a say. These responses may leave you feeling powerless and disrespected.

In primary care settings, studies have shown that opening up about trauma may help forge a stronger relationship between you and your provider. This can lead to better health outcomes.

Benefits of Trauma-Informed Therapy

Although more research has been done on trauma-informed care in recent years, more work still needs to be done to evaluate the measurable benefits of trauma-informed care. According to a recent study in the Journal for Research on Social Work Practice, the outcomes of implementing trauma-informed practices positively impacted both the organization or treatment center, as well as the recovering individuals.

1. Cultural Climate: By using trauma-informed care practices, staff members felt safer both emotionally and physically as a result. They also experienced increases in four other areas of trauma-informed care principles: trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment.

2. Policies and Procedures: There were also more measurable improvements in the day-to-day operations. Improvements from trauma-informed practices positively affected arenas related to supervision, support, self-care, staff training, and intake procedures.

3. Staff Satisfaction: Trustworthiness and collaboration among staff members were markedly improved after implementing trauma-informed practices. Moreover, staff felt more fulfilled in their roles and felt empowered to be creative and innovative.

4. Personal Satisfaction: Individuals in care programs can benefit from trauma-informed care, including the ability to trust staff and build rapport more quickly. Individuals also felt that the staff were better equipped to solve problems more quickly and efficiently.

5. Retention in the Care Program: Retention during the care process is often a key to long-term success. With trauma-informed care practices, research showed an overall increase in client retention.

What a Trauma-Informed Care Specialist Does to Avoid Re-traumatization

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) screening can elicit a wide range of emotional responses in patients and providers, as it requires individuals to reflect on difficult past experiences. While some patients may experience distressing emotions such as shame, anger, sadness, or embarrassment, others find the process empowering, appreciating the opportunity to connect their experiences to current health issues and receive targeted care. Pilot data indicates that patients with higher ACE scores are more likely to have strong emotional reactions—both positive and negative—when their screening results are identified. In contrast, de-identified screenings are far less likely to provoke significant emotional responses.

Therefore, providers need to administer screenings in a trauma-informed manner that avoids re-traumatization. There are several ways providers can avoid re-traumatization:

1. 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.

2. In the primary care context, providers can provide supportive, compassionate responses to trauma histories of ACEs or other adversities without eliciting specific details.

3. Empower patients by providing education on simple things they can do every day, at home, to recognize how stress shows up in their bodies help regulate their stress response system, and buffer the negative impacts of toxic stress. Find these strategies to regulate the stress response.

4. Refer patients to mental health providers who are trained in evidence-based trauma-specific therapy, if necessary.

5. Practice compassionate resilience to maintain provider well-being while caring for patients to be able to combat compassion fatigue, burnout, secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and related concerns.

What a Trauma-Informed Care Specialist Do During Physical Exam

If you’ve experienced trauma — such as abuse, a natural disaster, or community violence — you may want to seek care from a Mental health therapist offering trauma-informed care near you. These providers take extra steps to help you feel safe while under their care. Let’s look at an example of trauma-informed care during a physical exam: 

1. Your provider may start by asking about your overall health, as well as your history of trauma and how it has affected you. 

2. If they need to do a physical exam, they may ask for permission. They should also explain clearly why they were suggesting the exam so that you can make an informed decision about whether to proceed. 

3. During the exam, your provider would explain what they are doing, so you don’t have any surprises. They will also honor your request if you want to stop or take a break.  

4. Finally, they will ask for your input regarding a treatment plan.

How to Find a Trauma-Informed Care Specialist Near Me

Finding a trauma-informed care specialist involves several steps to ensure you receive appropriate and effective support:

1. Seek Referrals: Consult trusted individuals such as friends, family members, clergy, or healthcare providers for recommendations of Licensed therapists near you specializing in trauma recovery. Personal referrals can provide insights into a therapist's approach and effectiveness.

2. Research Credentials: Verify that potential therapists are licensed mental health professionals with specialized training in trauma-informed care. Look for certifications or additional training in trauma-focused therapies.

3. Interview Potential Therapists: Find a therapist for trauma recovery near you to discuss their experience with trauma survivors, therapeutic approaches, and how they tailor treatments to individual needs such as specialized therapy for PTSD to help you heal and recover. This conversation can help determine if their style aligns with your preferences.

4. Assess Comfort and Safety: It's crucial to feel comfortable and safe with your therapist. A strong therapeutic relationship enhances the effectiveness of treatment.

By following these steps, you can connect with a trauma recovery therapist who understands your needs and aligns with your therapeutic needs and personal preferences or find therapists experienced in helping individuals heal from abuse and trauma. Book trauma healing sessions with experienced professionals nearby or Psychotherapists offering trauma-informed services in your area.

 

Sources:

Resilient Educator

CHCS

UB

Aces Aware

GoodRx

Connections Family Center

EAPASA

NU

APA

VQ

TICTI

Trauma-Informed Coaching