Understanding the Difference: Trauma Informed vs Trauma Responsive Approaches
Trauma is a pervasive issue affecting millions of people worldwide. It can cause adverse mental and physical health outcomes if not appropriately addressed, leading to long-term suffering. Healthcare and social service providers are increasingly using trauma-informed and trauma-responsive approaches to address the needs of trauma survivors.
What is trauma-informed care?
Trauma-informed care acknowledges the pervasiveness of trauma and its impact on survivors. Its objective is to create a safe and supportive environment for clients by recognizing and addressing their past traumatic experiences. Providers practicing trauma-informed care must understand the connection between trauma and mental and physical health outcomes, leading to more effective treatment outcomes.
What is trauma-responsive care?
Trauma-responsive care goes a step beyond trauma-informed care; it is an integrative approach to understanding trauma and its impact on survivors. Providers practicing trauma-responsive care look beyond the individual and acknowledge the systemic issues that perpetuate and exacerbate trauma. It is a more comprehensive approach to addressing trauma that goes beyond treating the symptoms.
The difference between trauma-informed and trauma-responsive care
The primary difference between trauma-informed and trauma-responsive care is the scope of care. Trauma-informed care is client-centered, addressing the immediate concerns of trauma survivors. It is a personal approach to trauma treatment, acknowledging the impact of trauma on the individual. However, trauma-responsive care goes beyond the individual and addresses the systemic issues that perpetuate trauma. It recognizes that trauma survivors are not solely responsible for their trauma but are victims of broader systemic issues that need to be addressed.
Examples of trauma-informed vs trauma-responsive care
A mental health provider practicing trauma-informed care may ask a client about their trauma history, provide a safe and supportive environment, and acknowledge the client’s experiences. A provider practicing trauma-responsive care would go a step beyond, working to address the systemic issues that lead to trauma, like poverty, racism, and social inequality, using advocacy as a tool for change.
The benefits of trauma-informed and trauma-responsive care
Both trauma-informed and trauma-responsive care aim to acknowledge the impact of trauma on survivors. They provide a personalized and comprehensive treatment approach to addressing trauma. Trauma-informed care can help clients feel safe, supported, and heard, while trauma-responsive care goes beyond, advocating for change in the broader societal systems perpetuating trauma.
Conclusion
Trauma is a pervasive issue affecting millions of people worldwide. Trauma-informed and trauma-responsive care are two approaches used by healthcare and social service providers to address the needs of trauma survivors. While both approaches acknowledge the impact of trauma on survivors, trauma-responsive care goes beyond the immediate needs of the individual and addresses systemic issues that perpetuate trauma. By acknowledging and addressing trauma’s root causes, trauma-responsive care aims to create lasting change, benefiting individuals and society as a whole.
