Trauma-Informed Care
Let’s talk About Trauma
“Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape or natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea.” —American Psychological Association (2019)
“The impact of traumatic stress can be devastating & long-lasting, interfering with a person’s sense of safety, ability to self-regulate, sense of self, perception of control and self-efficacy and interpersonal relationships.” Elizabeth K. Hopper,1, Ellen L. Bassuk, and Jeffrey Olivetm Shelter from the Storm: Trauma-Informed Care in Homelessness Services Settings, The Open Health Services and Policy Journal, 2009, 2, 131-151
Trauma in Men Experiencing Homelessness: More than 25% of homeless men were assaulted in the past year. Despite the fact that men comprise the majority of homeless people and are frequently exposed to trauma, homeless men are less likely to receive social services than homeless women, with less effort directed towards understanding the impact of trauma on this population.
“A traumatic event can shatter a person’s sense of safety, meaning and connection with the world.” — City University of New York, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Working Effectively with Shelter Clients (2013)
What is the best way to care for the homeless population?
Trauma-Informed Spiritual Formation
The first step in this approach is to recognize how common trauma is, and to understand that every person who comes through our doors and is experiencing homelessness has experienced serious trauma — homelessness itself is traumatic.
Being Trauma-informed Means:
Doing everything with the recognition that our guests and residents likely embody many aspects of traumatic stress
Crafting experiences to encounter God which are appropriate for an audience with higher levels of traumatic stress
“Staff in every part of the organization, from the person who greets clients at the door to the executives and the governance board, have changed their language, behaviors & policies to take into consideration the experiences of trauma among children and adult users of the services and among staff providing the services.” (SAMHSA’s Trauma and Justice Strategic Initiative (2014) SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach)
Therefore, we avoid what may TRIGGER a trauma response or retraumatize.
In our overall TONE in our speech and interactions, we are self-aware — using calming emotional vocal/verbal tone, avoiding negativity and always remaining joyful and hopeful.
“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.”
—Colossians 4:6
“And we urge you, brothers… ADMONISH the idle, ENCOURAGE the fainthearted, HELP the weak, be PATIENT with them all.”
— 1 Thessalonians 5:14
Building trust and relationships are often when and where effective spiritual formation and ministry occurs. A PERSON’S STORY needs to be known for there to be effective MINISTRY or services. Therefore, individual or small groups are best for meaningful interactions.
