Trauma-Informed Care and Why It Matters

This web article from Psychology Today looks at how we are falling short in treating trauma victims and what we can do to fix it. The article addresses how coping mechanisms for post-trauma are poorly understood even by those in the best situation to provide assistance, and that it is important to understand that victims of trauma might not always react or behave as one might expect. It further suggests that many factors including public education, early identification, and effective trauma treatment are necessary to break the cycle of violence, and that we need to intensify and expand the availability of trauma-informed care. Various examples of trauma are illustrated, along with how victims react differently and often unexpectedly to trauma, and that just because someone might not show a lack of emotion, it does not mean they have not been abused. Without shattering the myths that limit the understanding of trauma victims, providers will not be able to deliver assistance effectively.