The Power of Being Trauma-Informed
Odds are that if you work with other people, you work with trauma. Trauma is inherently human. When we acknowledge that everyone has experienced some kind of trauma and take this into account when we communicate with them, we engage from a trauma-informed place.
What we must begin to understand about trauma is that it’s not merely a moment. Because trauma significantly alters the physical structure of the brain, there are long-lasting effects left behind. In her book The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel A. van der Kolk says, “We have learned that trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body. This imprint has ongoing consequences for how the human organism manages to survive in the present. Trauma results in a fundamental reorganization of the way the mind and brain manage perceptions. It changes not only how we think and what we think about, but also our very capacity to think.”
Trauma-informed care is more than simply recognizing that someone has had a traumatic experience–it’s understanding how trauma has remained in the body from the experience. At the heart of any trauma-informed approach is an understanding that our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors all logically exist within the context of our life experiences. No matter how intense the symptoms may be, there’s almost always a hidden explanation as to why a person acts the way they do after experiencing trauma.
Trauma-informed care doesn’t ask, “What’s wrong with you?” It asks, “What happened to you? And how do your symptoms and behaviors make sense in correlation to what you’ve been through?”
A trauma-centered focus is especially important when working with survivors of human trafficking. In 2012, a group of trafficking survivors between the ages of 14 and 60 were interviewed regarding their psychological and mental struggles post-exploitation (Lederer and Wetzel, 2014). The results showed that 88.7% experienced depression, 76.4% dealt with anxiety, 73.6% suffered from nightmares, 68% experienced flashbacks, 82.1% struggled with feelings of shame, 54.7% were diagnosed with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and 41.5% attempted suicide. Very few survivors walk away from trafficking without heart-wrenching and long-lasting symptoms of the trauma they endured.
A trauma-centered focus is one where service providers have some sense of understanding of the impact and influence of a survivor’s experiences while being trafficked. When working firsthand with trafficking survivors, they should recognize the wide range of uncontrollable emotions felt by each survivor and work to acknowledge that each survivors’ experience and reactions will be different. This helps survivors flourish in an open-minded atmosphere. Ultimately, a trauma-informed approach needs to place the experience of the trafficking survivor at the center.
At Dressember, we believe that taking a trauma-informed approach leads to sustained liberation. We focus on what will help someone heal from the immediate trauma and all the layers and implications of that trauma. Jessa Crisp, survivor leader, author, and CEO of BridgeHope, says that trauma-informed care is so important because it “recognizes the needs that survivors have versus us telling them what they need. It gives survivors a stability and a foundation upon which they can find autonomy and move into the people they want to be.” Empowering survivors into long-term sustainability and freedom is the heart behind Dressember and what we do.
One of the ways we do this is through the Dressember Network. The Dressember Network is made up of 20 partner organizations who we work with to combat human trafficking, and each of them utilize programs on the foundations of a trauma-informed approach.
One of our incredible partners, YouthSpark, goes out into the community to educate people about human trafficking. Their community advocacy program provides workshops, trainings, and awareness events that reflect the horrific aftermath survivors face once leaving a life of exploitation. Their trauma-informed approach highlights the longevity of trauma symptoms and challenges the misconception that physical freedom equates psychological freedom.
Photo by Dressember Network Partner Willow International
Another one of our partners, Willow International, uses a trauma-informed approach in their aftercare initiative. With this program, their goal is to empower each survivor with the tools they need to heal from trauma and live a healthy life free from re-victimization. This might look like medical care, education assistance, or therapy, and each person under Willow International works directly with a case manager who provides them with an individualized care plan. This prioritizes the survivor and their needs, and acknowledges that every survivor’s healing journey is unique and respected.
The trauma that survivors face once they leave the life of human trafficking is extensive and through our trauma-informed survivor empowerment programs and intervention programs, we are able to create a place where restoration can begin. As trafficking survivors begin to heal from the trauma of their exploitation, new hope is found and lives can begin anew. Implementing a trauma-informed approach is the first step to complete restoration.
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About the Author
Hannah Blair has a Bachelor’s in Sociology and is working on an MA in Social Justice and Human Rights, as well as her certification in Biblical counseling. As a survivor herself, her career end goal is to work with other trafficking survivors. She has a background in marketing and communications, social media management, and blog writing. She tells her story at churches and other events and has assisted with trainings for South Alabama law enforcement agencies. Hannah is a single mom to a rambunctious toddler who keeps her on her toes! She enjoys running, cooking, and most importantly, napping.