trauma-informed care
Treatment approach that recognizes and responds to the widespread impact of trauma in individuals seeking addiction services.
Full Definition
Trauma-informed care is a comprehensive organizational approach that recognizes the prevalence and impact of traumatic experiences among individuals with substance use disorders. This framework operates on six key principles: safety, trustworthiness, peer support, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural humility. Addiction counselors using trauma-informed care understand that many clients have histories of physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, neglect, or other traumatic experiences that may have contributed to their substance use. Rather than asking 'What's wrong with you?', trauma-informed care asks 'What happened to you?' The approach emphasizes creating safe environments, building trust gradually, avoiding retraumatization, and integrating trauma-specific interventions when appropriate.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate 'trauma-informed' but not 'trauma informed' when used as a noun phrase.
In Context
- "The program's trauma-informed care practices included allowing clients to keep doors open during individual sessions." — Policy manual
- "Trauma-informed care training helped staff recognize that aggressive behavior often stems from fear rather than defiance." — Staff development documentation