Trauma-Informed Approach
All peer support services serve others with a trauma-informed approach. This means that we understand that trauma is pervasive, and we serve people with the intent of avoiding retraumatization.
It is very important that peer services are delivered in a way that supports safety, predictability, transparency, and choice at all times. Collaboration and mutuality are also important with a trauma-informed approach.
The standards of practice for peer support services included in this document, when applied and practiced, create a trauma-informed foundation.
Understanding Trauma
Often when we think of the word trauma, we think of it as a particular event. A stressful event causes trauma, but emotional and psychological trauma is actually the result of a stressful event. We define trauma as the emotional response following a stressful event.
Psychological and emotional trauma can leave someone feeling scared, unable to cope, helpless, overwhelmed, numb, and/or disconnected from self and others, and distrustful. Trauma can be caused by a threat to one’s physical safety or psychological safety. Sometimes simply witnessing someone else’s harm can also cause emotional and psychological trauma.
It is estimated that 76% of Canadians report having experienced a traumatic event during their lifetime.
SAMHSA’s Trauma-Informed Approach
According to the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach (2014), an organization that takes a trauma-informed approach is expected to:
- REALIZE the widespread impact of trauma and understand potential paths for healing.
- RECOGNIZE the signs and symptoms of trauma in clients, staff, and others involved with the system.
- RESPOND by fully integrating knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, practices, and settings.
- Actively RESIST RETRAUMATIZATION.
Six Key Principles of a Trauma-Informed Approach
The same SAMHSA document, Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach (2014), lists the following six key principles of a trauma-informed approach:
- Safety
- Trustworthiness and Transparency
- Peer Support
- Collaboration and Mutuality
- Empowerment, Voice and Choice
- Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues
We understand that all growth comes with discomfort. We recognize that this kind of discomfort doesn’t always feel good, but it can still be safe. Peer support services must be intentional at creating environments where people can feel safe enough to risk the discomfort of growth.
Mutuality and Peer Support
Clinical services such as psychiatric or professional counselling are by nature hierarchical. Clinical providers are in a position of power over the person they are serving, and there are some important ethical guidelines in place to protect those people receiving services. Most clinicians are trained not to share personal stories or anecdotes, whereas peer support workers are encourag