Trauma Informed Practice

Exposure to traumatic events is a common experience, extending across all demographics. Trauma-informed Practice (TIP) provides a framework for practitioners to minimise additional harm and aid healing. It acknowledges the widespread impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and intergenerational trauma, often linked to chronic conditions such as pain, obesity, cancer, substance abuse, and mental health disorders. Despite this prevalence, training for health and legal providers on ACEs and preventive measures is not widespread, leading to a call for a universal approach to TIP.

TIP necessitates an environment characterised by calmness, safety, and compassion. Gerber presents a practical approach to TIP through the 4Cs - Calm, Contain, Care, and Cope. 'Calm' requires cultivating a personal and environmental sense of tranquillity and understanding of trauma. 'Contain' stresses the importance of trustworthy behaviour, limiting trauma detail during enquiries, and reducing the risk of triggering or re-traumatisation. 'Care' promotes sharing supportive messages, normalising and destigmatising trauma symptoms, and embracing cultural humility whilst promoting self-care, compassion, and equity. Finally, 'Cope' focuses on fostering positive relationships, resilience-building interventions, increasing social support, and addressing mental health and substance use issues. This strengths-based approach to TIP helps practitioners understand how trauma impacts their clients and provides the necessary support for their journey toward healing:

Some resources for further reading:

Trauma-informed practice: medical guidelines, review papers and studies

Towards trauma-informed legal practice: a review. Psychiatr Psychol Law. 2020; 27(2): 275–299.
Link to article

Trauma and the law: applying trauma-informed practice to legal and judicial contexts. Blue Knot Foundation, Australia.j
Link to article