Trauma & Trauma-Informed Care
Common automatic responses the brain (activating the amygdala) goes into during crisis.
What fight/flight/freeze/fawn response?
The practice of approaching someone’s lived experience with openness and self-reflection.
What is cultural humility?
The primary motive behind domestic violence.
What is power and control?
Trained medical professional who provides medical treatment and may collect forensic evidence for sexual assault victims.
What is a SANE Nurse?
This direct question is evidence-based and does NOT “put the idea in someone’s head.” and may be helpful with suicidal warning signs (e.g., hopelessness, giving away belongings, withdrawal, drastic mood changes, or talking about wanting to die)
What is, “Are you thinking about killing yourself?”
Safety, trustworthiness, peer support, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural awareness are all principles of a framework to promote client care.
What is trauma informed care?
Reasons why LGBTQ+ survivors hesitate to report violence or seek services.
What is discrimination, past negative experiences, fear of outing, or mistrust of systems?
This term refers to crimes motivated by bias against a protected identity.
What are hate crimes?
This court order is used to provide safety from someone causing harm for up to 45 days without extesion. Safe Nest may provide an emergency version if the abuser is in police custody.
What is a Temporary Protection Order?
We want to be fact based to honor stories that protects clients who may be undocumented, of trans experience, or fleeing. Refraining from opinions or assumptions.
What are best practices for documentation?
The emotional or psychological impact experienced by helping others in crisis and may lead to burnout and compassion fatigue if not regulated.
What is secondary traumatic stress or vicarious trauma?
Biases that change the way someone treats people for having HIV or preventing HIV (i.e., believing only certain people acquire HIV, unnecessary steps in medical care, etc.) that may prevent a person for testing from HIV or receiving HIV care.
What is HIV stigma?
Needed for sexual encounters and is clear, voluntary, enthusiastic, informed, and an ongoing agreement.
What is consent?
Our obligation as advocates if a minor, elder, or vulnerable adult has been harmed or is going to be harmed.
What is a mandated reporter?
The practice of maintaining emotional, physical, and professional space between yourself and your work.
What are boundaries?
This term describes phrases that unintentionally shame survivors by implying they caused or contributed to their own pain.
What is victim-blaming language?
Life affirming and acknowledges a persons gender identity (e.g., they/ them, he/ him, she/ her).
What are pronouns?
The most dangerous time for a survivor is during or immediately after this major step (may take up to 7 times on average).
What is leaving or attempting to leave the relationship?
Providing emotional support, helping them understand rights, and ensuring trauma-informed communication (like asking for a break when the client is overwhelmed) when reporting a crime.
What is our role with Law Enforcement?
The skill that mirrors back what someone says to show understanding of content or emotion.
What is reflective/ active listening?
This part of the brain becomes overactivated during trauma, affecting memory, sensory processing, and how survivors recall the event, which is why survivors’ stories may appear fragmented or nonlinear (i.e., people might think they're lying).
What is the amygdala?
This harmful cultural belief system normalizes sexual violence, blames victims, and excuses perpetrators.
What is rape culture?
A personalized, practical plan that helps survivors stay safer in various situations.
What is a safety plan?
The Nevada program that provides confidential address forwarding for survivors.
What is the Confidential Address Program (CAP)?
Ignoring or belittling what a client is feeling or making someone’s experience seem less serious/ important (e.g., It could have been worse, that's just part of life, at least..."
What is dismissive or minimizing language?