Trauma-Informed Care (TIC)
Trauma-informed care is an approach to healthcare that recognizes the widespread impact of trauma and aims to create healing and recovery environments. Here are the key aspects:
Understanding Trauma
- Prevalence: A significant number of people have experienced serious trauma in their lives.
- Types of Trauma:
- Childhood Trauma: Includes physical, sexual, or emotional abuse.
- Domestic Violence: Affects one in four women.
- Rape: One in five women and one in 71 men have experienced rape, with some being younger than 10 years old at the time.
- Medical Exams: Healthcare interactions can feel invasive due to sensitive questions, intimate examinations, and sometimes uncomfortable treatments.
Principles of Trauma-Informed Care
- Safety: Prioritize physical, psychological, and emotional safety for patients.
- Collaboration: Involve patients in their care decisions and respect their autonomy.
- Avoid Retraumatization: Ensure that therapy and interactions never re-traumatize patients.
Integrate Trauma Therapies
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): An evidence-based therapy for trauma-related disorders. It involves guided eye movements to process distressing memories and reduce their impact.
- Other trauma-focused therapies include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), exposure therapy, and mindfulness-based approaches.
