Trauma Transformed Principles

Understanding Stress and Trauma

Stress and trauma negatively impact the health of individuals, communities, and systems. Building our knowledge of stress, trauma, and their effects is the first step as we work to strengthen our resilience.

Trauma – We understand that trauma is common, but experienced uniquely due to its many variations in form and impact.
Stress – We understand that optimal levels of positive stress can be healthy, but that chronic or extreme stress has damaging effects.
Reactions – We understand that many trauma reactions are adaptive, but that some resulting behaviors and beliefs may impede recovery and wellness.
Recovery – We understand that trauma can be overcome effectively through accessible treatments, skills, relationships, and personal practices.

Cultural Humility and Equity

We come from diverse social and cultural groups that experience and respond to trauma differently. Racism and other forms of oppression are specific types of trauma that inflict harm on individuals, communities, and systems. As we address biases and systemic injustices, we promote equity and healing.

Differences –We demonstrate knowledge of how specific social and cultural groups may experience, react to, and recover from trauma differently.
Humility – We are proactive in respectfully seeking information and learning about differences between social and cultural groups.
Responsiveness – We have and can easily access support and resources for sensitively meeting the unique social and cultural needs of others.

Safety and Stability

Trauma unpredictably violates our physical, psychological, emotional, and social safety resulting in a sense of threat and need to manage risks. Increasing stability and meeting these core safety needs individually and collectively can minimize our stress reactions and allow us to focus our resources on wellness.

Stability – We minimize unnecessary changes and, when changes are necessary, provide sufficient notice and preparation.
Physical – We create environments that are physically safe, accessible, clean, and comfortable.
Social-Emotional – We maintain healthy interpersonal boundaries and manage conflict appropriately in our relationships with others.

Compassion and Dependability

Trauma is overwhelming and can leave us feeling isolated or betrayed, which may make it difficult to trust others and receive support. When we experience compassionate and dependable relationships and environments, we can re-establish trusting connections that foster mutual wellness and alleviate some of the impacts of trauma.

Compassion – We strive to act compassionately across our interactions with others through the genuine expression of concern and support.
Relationships – We value and seek to develop secure and dependable relationships characterized by mutual respect and attunement.
Communication – We promote dependability and create trust by communicating in ways that are clear, inclusive, and useful to others.

Collaboration and Empowerment

Traumatic events can remove our sense of power, control, and agency. Having opportunities to make choices for ourselves and our care can be empowering, and can contribute to our own wellness and the wellness of others.

Empowerment – We recognize the value of personal agency and understand how it supports recovery and overall wellness.
Preparation – We proactively provide information and support the development of skills that are necessary for the effective empowerment of others.
Opportunities – We regularly offer others opportunities to make decisions and choices that have a meaningful impact on their lives.

Resilience and Recovery

Trauma can have a long-lasting and broad impact on our lives that may create a feeling of hopelessness. And as humans, we have an innate capacity for resilience. People and organizations can counteract the impacts of stress and trauma by building reflective systems that affirm strengths and support wellness.

Path – We recognize the value of instilling hope by seeking to develop a clear path towards wellness that addresses stress and trauma.
Strengths – We proactively identify and apply strengths to promote wellness and growth, rather than focusing singularly on symptom reduction.
Practices – We are aware of and have access to effective treatments, skills, and personal practices that support recovery and resiliency.