By Linda C J Turner, Therapist & Advocate
In recent years, the term “trauma-informed care” has emerged as a powerful, compassionate approach across healthcare, education, social work, and therapy. But Trauma-Informed Care is more than a buzzword — it’s a complete shift in how we understand people, pain, and healing.
Whether you’re a therapist, teacher, healthcare provider, friend, or simply a compassionate human being, understanding Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) can transform not just the way you work with others — but how you relate to the world itself.
💡 What Is Trauma-Informed Care?
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is an approach that recognizes the widespread impact of trauma and understands that many people — regardless of background — have experienced adversity that affects their physical, emotional, and relational wellbeing.
Instead of asking “What’s wrong with you?”
TIC asks: “What happened to you?”
This simple shift in language reframes behavior not as a disorder or weakness, but as a survival response — rooted in the body’s natural, protective systems.
Developed initially for use in mental health and healthcare settings, TIC is now applied broadly across education, justice systems, child welfare, addiction recovery, and community support. It’s not a technique — it’s a philosophy of care.
🧠 Why Trauma-Informed Care Matters
Trauma changes the brain, the body, and the nervous system. It shapes the way we think, feel, trust, and respond. Some examples of trauma include:
- Childhood abuse or neglect
- Domestic violence
- Sexual assault
- Bereavement and loss
- Emotional neglect or abandonment
- Bullying or prolonged humiliation
- Poverty and systemic racism
- Refugee or displacement trauma
- Natural disasters or accidents
- Medical trauma or surgeries
- Living with someone who has addiction or mental illness
Trauma is not what happens to us — it’s what happens inside us as a result of what we experienced.
What looks like:
- Withdrawal may be dissociation.
- Anger may be a trauma-triggered response.
- Substance misuse may be a way to numb unbearable pain.
- “Difficulty trusting” may actually be a hard-earned survival skill.
TIC is about meeting people in that space of tenderness and protection, and creating conditions where trust, safety, and healing are possible.
🛠️ The 6 Principles of Trauma-Informed Care
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), six core principles guide trauma-informed care:
- Safety – physical and emotional safety are foundational. People cannot heal if they feel threatened, judged, or vulnerable.
- Trustworthiness and Transparency – honesty, consistency, and boundaries help rebuild trust.
- Peer Support – shared experiences can be powerful catalysts for healing and connection.
- Collaboration and Mutuality – power is shared between provider and client; the therapeutic relationship is non-hierarchical.
- Empowerment, Voice, and Choice – survivors are the experts in their own lives; they must have control over their care.
- Cultural, Historical, and Gender Sensitivity – acknowledging identity, lived experience, and the impact of systemic oppression.
These principles can be embedded into therapy rooms, classrooms, boardrooms, hospitals, and homes. TIC is not just for therapists — it’s for all of us.
🤝 How We Can Help — As Professionals, Communities, and Individuals
Whether you’re a therapist or a trauma survivor supporting others, here are ways we can actively integrate trauma-informed care:
🧑⚕️ 1. For Therapists and Helpers
- Validate emotional responses without judgment.
- Normalize trauma reactions as adaptive, not broken.
- Offer choices wherever possible — empower autonomy.
- Be attuned to signs of re-traumatization (even subtle ones).
- Stay curious, not critical: “Help me understand what this feels like for you.”
- Avoid pathologizing language like “manipulative” or “resistant” — trauma responses are often misread this way.
🧑🏫 2. For Teachers, Coaches, and Educators
- Understand that trauma can impair memory, attention, and behavior regulation.
- Build routines and clear expectations to foster safety.
- Use calm, non-punitive discipline practices.
- Offer empathy over punishment when children “act out.”
- Teach emotional regulation and resilience as core curriculum.
👩❤️👩 3. For Friends and Family
- Listen without fixing. Presence is powerful.
- Believe survivors — this can be life-changing.
- Avoid asking for details unless invited. Respect privacy and pace.
- Be patient with emotional triggers or withdrawal.
- Encourage professional support gently, never forcefully.
🌍 4. For Systems and Communities
- Advocate for trauma-informed policies and training in institutions.
- Challenge punitive, judgmental approaches to care.
- Support funding for mental health services, especially for underserved groups.
- Prioritize inclusivity and cultural humility in all services.
🌱 What TIC Means to Survivors
For trauma survivors, being met with trauma-informed care can feel like this:
“Finally, someone sees me and doesn’t judge me. I’m not broken — I’m human. I can begin to heal.”
It’s about giving people their dignity back.
TIC does not mean avoiding pain. It means holding space for pain with compassion, wisdom, and support. It means recognizing that survivors are already incredibly resilient — and with the right support, they can thrive.
💬 Final Thoughts: Healing Happens in Safe Relationships
At Linda C J Turner Therapy, we operate from a fully trauma-informed foundation. We don’t rush your healing. We honor your voice. And we believe that safety, trust, and respect are the bedrock of every successful therapeutic relationship.
Whether you’re just beginning to understand trauma or deep in your healing process — you’re not alone. Healing is possible, and help is here.
— Linda C J Turner
Trauma Therapist | Neuroscience & Emotional Intelligence Practitioner | Advocate for Women’s Empowerment
