TRAUMA: THE JOURNEY OF HEALING PRESENTED BY: DR. JOSEPH BIRLI

TRAUMA: THE JOURNEY OF HEALING PRESENTED BY: DR. JOSEPH BIRLI

CREATING A SAFE SPACE INTRODUCTIONS SESSION EXPECTATIONS: RESPECT OBJECTIVITY NON-JUDGMENTAL SELF-DISCLOSURE ENGAGEMENT PROFESSIONALISM

OBJECTIVES SHARE – “BUTTERFLY CIRCUS” STRESS – “BUILDING MY HOUSE” TRAUMA – “THE IN’S AND OUT’S” – A FRAMEWORK AS PROVIDED BY SAMHSA EFFECTS OF TRAUMA COMMON REACTIONS TO TRAUMA TRAUMA INFORMED GOALS – SKILLS TO LEARN WHAT EVERY INDIVIDUAL CAN DO – ACTION ORIENTED QUESTIONS/THOUGHTS/PERSPECTIVES

TRAUMA DEFINITION – WHAT IS TRAUMA INFORMED? “INDIVIDUAL TRAUMA RESULTS FROM AN EVENT, SERIES OF EVENTS, OR SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES THAT IS EXPERIENCED BY AN INDIVIDUAL AS PHYSICALLY OR EMOTIONALLY HARMFUL OR LIFE THREATENING AND THAT HAS LASTING ADVERSE EFFECTS ON THE INDIVIDUAL’S FUNCTIONING AND MENTAL, PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, OR SPIRITUAL WELLBEING.” “A PROGRAM ORGANIZATION, OR SYSTEM THAT IS TRAUMA-INFORMED REALIZES THE WIDESPREAD IMPACT OF TRAUMA AND UNDERSTANDS POTENTIAL PATHS FOR RECOVERY; RECOGNIZES THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF TRAUMA IN CLIENTS, FAMILIES, STAFF, AND OTHERS INVOLVED WITH THE SYSTEM; AND RESPONDS BY FULLY INTEGRATING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT TRAUMA INTO POLICIES, PROCEDURES, AND PRACTICES, AND SEEKS TO ACTIVELY RESIST RE-TRAUMATIZATION.” – REMEMBER THE 4 R’S

TRAUMA-INFORMED KEY PRINCIPLES SAFETY TRUSTWORTHINESS & TRANSPARENCY PEER SUPPORT COLLABORATION & MUTUALITY EMPOWERMENT, VOICE, & CHOICE CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, & GENDER ISSUES

WHAT DO THESE PRINCIPLES MEAN? SAFETY – IT IS IMPORTANT THAT THOSE CLIENTS WE SERVE, CHILDREN, ADULTS, FAMILIES, THE COMMUNITY, FEEL PHYSICALLY AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY SAFE; THE PHYSICAL SETTING IS SAFE AND INTERPERSONAL INTERACTIONS PROMOTE A SENSE OF SAFETY. UNDERSTANDING SAFETY AS DEFINED BY THOSE SERVED IS A HIGH PRIORITY. TRUSTWORTHINESS & TRANSPARENCY – OPERATIONS, APPROACHES AND DECISIONS ARE CONDUCTED WITH TRANSPARENCY WITH THE GOAL OF BUILDING AND MAINTAINING TRUST WITH CLIENTS, FAMILY, TEAM MEMBERS, AND ALL OTHERS INVOLVED OR AFFILIATED WITH THE INDIVIDUAL.

WHAT DO THESE PRINCIPLES MEAN? CONTINUED PEER SUPPORT – PEER SUPPORT AND MUTUAL SELF-HELP ARE KEY VEHICLES FOR ESTABLISHING SAFETY AND HOPE, BUILDING TRUST, ENHANCING COLLABORATION, AND UTILIZING THE STORIES AND LIVED EXPERIENCES TO PROMOTE RECOVERY AND HEALING. THE TERM “PEERS” REFERS TO INDIVIDUALS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCES OF TRAUMA, OR IN THE CASE OF CHILDREN THIS MAY BE FAMILY MEMBERS OF CHILDREN WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED TRAUMATIC EVENTS AND MAY BE KEY CAREGIVERS IN THE RECOVERY – OR NOT. PEERS HAVE ALSO BEEN REFERRED TO AS “TRAUMA SURVIVORS.” COLLABORATION & MUTUALITY – IMPORTANCE IS PLACED ON PARTNERING AND THE LEVELING OF POWER DIFFERENCES BETWEEN PEOPLE, YOUTH/ADULTS AND AMONG ALL INVOLVED. DEMONSTRATING THE HEALING PROCESS HAPPENS IN RELATIONSHIPS AND IN THE MEANINGFUL SHARING OF POWER AND DECISION-MAKING. IT IS IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT EVERYONE HAS A ROLE TO PLAY IN THIS TRAUMA-INFORMED APPROACH.

WHAT DO THESE PRINCIPLES MEAN? CONTINUED EMPOWERMENT, VOICE & CHOICE – IT IS IMPORTANT THAT INDIVIDUALS’ STRENGTHS AND EXPERIENCES ARE RECOGNIZED AND BUILT UPON. WE SHOULD FOSTER A BELIEF IN THE PRIMACY OF THOSE SERVED, IN RESILIENCE, AND IN THE ABILITY OF INDIVIDUALS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND COMMUNITIES TO HEAL AND PROMOTE RECOVERY FROM TRAUMA. WE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE EXPERIENCE OF TRAUMA MAY BE A UNIFYING ASPECT IN THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO ENGAGE IN PROVIDING SERVICES FOR AN ORGANIZATION, AND/OR THOSE WHO COME FOR ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT. THEREFORE, ALL ASPECTS MUST FOSTER EMPOWERMENT FOR CARE GIVERS, CLINICIANS AND CLIENTS ALIKE. WE ALSO MUST UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF POWER DIFFERENTIALS AND WAYS IN WHICH THOSE BEING SERVED, HISTORICALLY, HAVE BEEN DIMINISHED IN VOICE AND CHOICE AND ARE OFTEN RECIPIENTS OF COERCIVE TREATMENT. INDIVIDUALS NEED TO BE SUPPORTED IN SHARED DECISION-MAKING, CHOICE, GOAL SETTING TO DETERMINE THE PLAN OF ACTION AS IS NEEDED FOR HEALING AND MOVING FORWARD IN THEIR LIFE. ULTIMATELY, WE ARE FACILITATORS OF RECOVERY RATHER THAN CONTROLLERS OF RECOVERY.

WHAT DO THESE PRINCIPLES MEAN? CONTINUED CULTURAL, HISTORICAL, AND GENDER ISSUES – WE MUST ACTIVELY MOVE PAST CULTURAL STEREOTYPES AND BIASES; WE OFFER ACCESS TO GENDER RESPONSIVE SERVICES, RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE HEALING VALUE OF TRADITIONAL CULTURAL CONNECTIONS; INCORPORATE POLICIES, PROTOCOLS, AND PROCESSES THAT ARE RESPONSIVE TO THE RACIAL, ETHNIC AND CULTURAL NEEDS OF INDIVIDUALS SERVED, THE CARE GIVERS AND THE COMMUNITY WHILE RECOGNIZING AND ADDRESSING HISTORICAL TRAUMA.

HOW SHOULD THESE PRACTICES BE IMPLEMENTED? GOVERNANCE & LEADERSHIP POLICY PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT ENGAGEMENT & INVOLVEMENT CROSS SECTOR COLLABORATION SCREENING, ASSESSMENT, TREATMENT SERVICES TRAINING & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRESS MONITORING AND QUALITY ASSURANCE FINANCING EVALUATION

EFFECTS OF TRAUMA THE IMPACT OF ACUTE AND CHRONIC TRAUMA ON THE FOLLOWING SYSTEMS: SOCIAL/RELATIONAL PSYCHOLOGICAL NEUROLOGICAL PHYSIOLOGICAL/MEDICAL TOXIC STRESS IN EARLY YEARS CAN DAMAGE THE DEVELOPING BRAIN ARCHITECTURE AND LEAD TO LEARNING AND BEHAVIORAL CHALLENGES WHILE INCREASING THE SUSCEPTIBILITY TO PHYSICAL, SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL.

COMMON REACTIONS TO TRAUMA DIFFICULTY SLEEPING OR AVOIDING SLEEP – BEDTIME ISSUES SELF-DESTRUCTIVE ACTIONS (SELF-HARM, RUNNING AWAY, MALADAPTIVE COPING, ETC ) DESTRUCTIVE/AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS (DESTROYING PROPERTY, IMPULSIVITY, RISK TAKING) SCHOOL/WORK AVOIDANCE INABILITY TO FOCUS OR PAY ATTENTION AGGRESSIVE ACTIONS TOWARD OTHERS (VERBAL, PHYSICAL, MANIPULATIVE, ETC ) EMOTIONAL NUMBING, DISSOCIATION, FLASHBACKS, HALLUCINATIONS, DELUSIONAL THOUGHTS

TRAUMA INFORMED GOALS - SKILLS REDUCE THE CORE SYMPTOMS HELP THOSE BEING SERVED TO COPE BETTER WITH DAILY STRESSORS IMPROVE QUALITY OF LIFE REDUCE DISABLING AND COMORBID IMPACT AND CONDITIONS DEVELOP RECOVERY/RESILIENCY SKILLS TO INCLUDE: SELF-AWARENESS – DEVELOP AND INCORPORATE SENSE OF PURPOSE AND MEANING SELF-SOOTHING RELATIONAL SKILLS ACCURATE LABELING OF SELF AND OTHERS INITIATIVE TAKING CONSISTENT PROBLEM-SOLVING, JUDGEMENT AND DECISION MAKING AFFECT REGULATION, INCLUDING DISTRESS TOLERANCE AND EMOTIONAL MODULATION

WHAT EVERY PERSON CAN DO SHOW THAT YOU ARE DIFFERENT FROM THOSE WHO HAVE CAUSED PAIN, WOUNDS AND HURT THOSE HURT BY TRAUMA. BE AWARE OF YOUR OWN FEELINGS AND THAT OF THOSE BEING SERVED. AVOID POWER STRUGGLES. TAKE AN APPROACH OF EDUCATION AND NATURAL CONSEQUENCE TO THAT OF PUNITIVE. MODEL APPROPRIATE STANDARD OF NORMS WITH EXPRESSION OF EMOTIONS AND ACTIONS. ENCOURAGE POSITIVE EMOTIONAL EXPRESSIONS AND ACTIONS BY SUPPORTING STRENGTHS AND INTERESTS. DEVELOP HEALTHY BOUNDARY RELATIONSHIPS – GET TO KNOW INDIVIDUALS AND CONNECT THROUGH COMMON INTERESTS MODEL AND CORRECT NEGATIVE ACTIONS AND INAPPROPRIATE DESTRUCTIVE EXPRESSION BY MODELING AND ENGAGING IN OTHER FORMS OF HEALTHY EXPRESSION OF EMOTIONS, THOUGHTS AND ACTIONS.

QUESTIONS/THOUGHTS/PERSPECTIVES WHAT DID YOU LEARN FROM THIS TRAINING? HOW ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND IMPACT ON ANOTHER LIFE? REFERENCES OF THIS PRESENTATION CAN BE OFFERED UPON REQUEST.