Trauma-informed care
The CDC statistics on abuse and violence in the United States are sobering. They report that one in four children experiences some sort of maltreatment (physical, sexual, or emotional abuse). One in four women has experienced domestic violence. In addition, one in five women and one in 71 men have experienced rape at some point in their lives — 12% of these women and 30% of these men were younger than 10 years old when they were raped. This means a very large number of people have experienced serious trauma at some point in their lives.
What is Trauma?
Individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening with lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.
how to determine trauma?
Straight Talk Clinic believes that screening for adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma is an integral component of a trauma-informed approach to care.
Each client that walks through the doors at STC will be asked to fill out an ACE questionnaire within 30 days of receiving mental health treatment.
An ACE score is a tally of different types of abuse, neglect, and other hallmarks of a rough childhood. According to the Adverse Childhood Experiences study, the rougher your childhood, the higher your score is likely to be and the higher your risk for later health problems.
Credit: Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
trauma-informed therapy
At STC we help clients manage the overwhelming effects of trauma, decreased isolation and alienation. Clients learn about common psychological and somatic reactions to traumatic experiences, and develop coping skills to handle symptoms when they arise and stay more grounded when flooded with feelings or memories.
Trauma-informed care can apply to anyone. Trauma-informed care applies as well to people with a history of depression or anxiety that has wreaked havoc on life, people with emotional abuse or attachment wounds, or any kind of trauma.