What Is Trauma-Informed Care?
When you scroll through therapy websites or health articles, “trauma-informed care” might feel like the latest buzzword. But for those of us who sit with people in the depths of their healing, it is much more than a catchphrase. It's a way of seeing, listening, and creating safety that honors the whole person. Trauma isn't rare; it's woven into the stories of individuals, families, and communities. That's why creating a trauma-informed lens matters not just in therapy sessions, but in everyday interactions. Trauma is an integral part of life that most of us are not taught how to integrate.
Principles of Trauma-Informed Care
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) defines trauma-informed care as an approach that realizes the widespread impact of trauma, recognizes the signs and symptoms, responds with supportive practices, and resists retraumatization (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014).
“Trauma is not what happens to you, but what happens inside you.”
At its core, trauma-informed care asks us to shift our questions: from “What is wrong with you?” to “What happened to you, and how did you survive?” It is not a specific therapy technique, but a framework for creating safety, trust, and empowerment in every space where people gather, heal, and connect. It's a lens for how we engage with others.
Why It Matters
Trauma does not only affect mental health. Research shows that early experiences of abuse, neglect, or household instability can increase risks for chronic disease, substance use, depression, and even shorten life expectancy (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2023).
When we approach care through a trauma-informed lens, we:
Build safety instead of fear.
Recognize behaviors as adaptations, not flaws.
Create room for voice, choice, and empowerment.
For clients, this means more trust and connection. For providers, it reduces burnout and creates more meaningful therapeutic relationships.
A Trauma-Informed Lens for Clinicians
Therapists, counselors, and other providers can start with simple but powerful shifts:
Ask before assuming: Instead of "Why didn't you follow through?" try asking, "What got in the way?"
Prioritize safety: Even the arrangement of a therapy office, such as clear exits or soft lighting, can help a client feel safe.
Notice language: Avoid labels like “resistant” and instead see survival strategies.
Check your pace: Healing unfolds slowly, and moving too fast can feel like reliving the trauma.
Care for yourself: Secondary trauma is real. Supervision, rest, and boundaries are part of trauma-informed practice.
A Trauma-Informed Lens for Everyday Life
You do not need to be a clinician to bring trauma awareness into your daily interactions. Each of us can be more trauma-informed in how we relate to friends, family, and even strangers:
Pause before reacting: If someone lashes out, remember they may be speaking from a place of pain.
Respect boundaries: A “no” is not a rejection. It is someone honoring their safety.
Create small choices: Offering options like "Where would you like to sit?" or "Do you prefer to talk now or later?" gives others a sense of agency.
Avoid shaming language: Swap “You’re overreacting” for “I see this feels really intense right now.”
Model calm presence: Sometimes the most trauma-informed act is simply being steady and kind when someone else feels unsteady.
Trauma-Informed Care Begins With Ourselves
It is easy to talk about extending trauma-informed practices to others, but how we show up for ourselves is just as important. Many of us carry critical inner voices that mirror the harshness of past experiences. Becoming trauma-informed toward ourselves means learning to offer compassion within our own minds.
Here are three affirmations you can carry with you into today:
My responses make sense given what I have lived through.
I can choose to be gentle with myself, even when I struggle.
I deserve safety, care, and healing just as much as anyone else.
Closing
Trauma-informed care is not about treating everyone as if they are fragile. It is about recognizing that many people, maybe most people, carry stories that deserve safety, dignity, and compassion. Whether you are a therapist, a parent, a colleague, or simply a human being moving through the world, you have the power to create trauma-informed spaces. Every small act of care is a step toward healing—for others, and for yourself.
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). About adverse childhood experiences. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://www.cdc.gov/aces/about/index.html
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). Trauma informed care in behavioral health services (Treatment Improvement Protocol Series 57). U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. https://library.samhsa.gov/product/tip-57-trauma-informed-care-behavioral-health-services/sma14-4816