Trauma-informed Organization: Everyone has a Role

Posted on November 18, 2021

For CHS to be a truly trauma-informed organization, every staff member should have some understanding about what trauma is and how it affects our kids and families.

As defined last month, trauma is an event, experience, or threat that an individual experiences that impacts their daily coping abilities and behavioral responses. Trauma- informed care is the understanding of the neurological, biological, psychological and social effects trauma has on the individual.

Examples of these effects include:

• Inability to handle everyday stresses

• Struggles to form and maintain relationships

• Difficulty with memory, attention, and thinking

• Low self-regulation skills

• Inability to appropriately express emotions

As a trauma-informed organization, we have a responsibility to realize the impact of our clients’ trauma, to recognize how that trauma manifests in our clients, become more knowledgeable about trauma ourselves and avoid re-traumatization in both clients and staff.

One aspect of trauma-informed care is keeping in mind children’s traumatic experiences in every interaction we have with them and meeting them at their developmental level. Another aspect of trauma-informed care is observing our own selves and how our job and our clients’ trauma affects our mental health.

Self-Care Resource: Visit your local grocery store and find the ingredients for your favorite cozy soup! Recipe idea: https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/stuffed-pepper-soup/