If PTSD can occur after a single event such as a car accident, imagine how much more likely it is to occur after repeated violence or trauma?
When someone experiences repeated trauma such as a history of abuse, they can often be diagnosed with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). Their years of experience trying to survive in a hostile environment may make them feel as if they are in a threatening situation all the time. Breaking out of survival mode can be a complicated process, and the wrong mental health support may actually make things worse.
That’s where trauma-informed care comes into play, working with an understanding of the trauma first and foremost to help you heal as an individual.
Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma-informed care is an alternative form of mental healthcare for traumatized patients who might not respond well to therapies that are heavily focused on the aspect of change. The goal of trauma-informed care is not to place any blame on the patient. For patients who are used to a history of gaslighting or being blamed for the abuse they suffered, these forms of therapy without acceptance at the core may retraumatize them rather than helping them.
According to the Center for Healthcare Strategies, “Trauma-informed care shifts the focus from, ‘What’s wrong with you?’ to ‘What happened to you?’”1 Mental health care from a trauma-informed approach looks at the full impact of trauma on the individual, especially in cases of abuse and violence. It is an organization-wide effort to recognize symptoms of trauma not just in patients but in surrounding families and staff. A growing understanding of trauma is then worked into the policies and practices of the organization.
It is the goal of Rivia Mind to always provide trauma-informed care to our patients.
Benefits of Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma is a sensitive matter to treat. It is essential to help patients take back control over their lives without retraumatizing them. This is why trauma-informed care is so important. Some of the benefits include:
A Safe Space
The key to treating trauma in the beginning is to help patients find a safe space where they do not have to be in survival mode. This is what trauma-informed care provides. Patients may discuss their fears, stressors, and past trauma without judgment or fear. When they are in a safe space, they can begin to unpack and process their trauma, which then leads to healing.
No Retraumatization
Retraumatization can occur when patients — especially those with CPTSD who have suffered abuse or violence in the past — are pushed too hard to open up or to retell their trauma over and over. For many patients, retelling their trauma puts them back in that moment, reliving it. This runs the risk of retraumatizing the patient, which can be a setback. Trauma-informed care avoids this by going at the patient’s pace and treating them from an understanding of the impact of their trauma.
Focus on Strengths
Trauma can make you feel weak and vulnerable. You may feel stuck in a threatening situation constantly. Trauma-informed care focuses on the strengths of the patient and building resilience. It does not make you strong. Rather, it reminds you of the strengths you already have. It reminds you that strength and vulnerability can coexist. By honing these preexisting strengths, you can find your resilience.
More Effective Care
It always helps to work with a mental health provider who gets it. Not merely someone who listens to you, but someone who understands where you’re coming from and why you feel the way you do. This is the kind of understanding that trauma-informed care provides. And of course, when your care is more effective, you start to notice an improvement in your response to treatment.
Cost Savings
Having to move from provider to provider because you can’t find the right fit isn’t just frustrating. It can also be costly. Therapy and psychiatry are expensive. Evaluations are expensive. If you don’t get worthwhile treatment for the cost, it may make you feel like giving up. By working with a trauma-informed mental health provider, you’re more likely to find the right fit the first time and get the treatment you need without the hassle.
Improved Outcomes
When your care is better, it’s easier for you to improve. This is certainly the case with trauma-informed care. Studies have shown that trauma-informed care has led to a reduction in PTSD symptoms and substance use.2 It is linked to a decrease in the use of acute care and crisis facilities, because patients who receive this care become more resilient. This could be a boon for someone with CPTSD as a result of years of abuse or violence.
What To Look For In Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma-informed care can offer you an empowering mental healthcare experience, so it’s important to know what to look for when seeking out care providers. You may find a provider who claims to be “trauma-informed” but how do you know the truth of that? Here are a few things to look for:
- Experience working with trauma. First, do they have experience working with trauma? Some mental health providers will specialize in helping patients with PTSD or trauma disorders. They may provide specific therapies intended for trauma cases. Of course, there are trauma therapists who do not use a trauma-informed care approach, but you will have more luck finding someone who understands your situation when you find someone with experience treating trauma.
- Prioritization on safety. Look at the way a mental health provider prioritizes the safety of their staff, or prioritizes your safety when you work with them. Creating a safe space is key to trauma-informed care, so if a provider goes out of their way to create that space, there’s a good chance they mean what they say about trauma-informed care.
- Collaboration with the patient. Does your provider make you an active part of the discussion about your healthcare? No one knows your experiences better than you. A good trauma-informed provider will work with you to set goals and pace for treatment, rather than pushing you into something when you don’t feel ready.
- Acceptance and non-judgmental therapy. If a therapist blames you for your trauma or if you feel judged and invalidated in a therapy space, that is not a trauma-informed treatment. Trauma-informed care never blames the survivor of trauma but instead accepts what they’re going through and helps them to build resilience.
At Rivia Mind, our skilled and compassionate clinicians work to provide a safe, trauma-informed care both with evidence-based therapies and medication management. We are here to help empower you to remember your strengths and build resilience in the face of PTSD. Contact Rivia Mind today to learn more or to find a provider.
Resources:
- What Is Trauma Informed Care? – The Center for Healthcare Strategies
- Trauma Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services Part 3: A Review of the Literature – Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
