Trauma Informed Care Champions Monthly Call

Definitions

100

ACE

What are Adverse Childhood Experiences

200

ABCs of Self-Care

What are Awareness, Balance, and Connection? 

- To understand self-care, it is helpful to consider what it is not: Self-care is not an “emergency response plan” to be activated when stress becomes overwhelming.  Self-care is not about acting selfishly (“It’s all about me!”).  Self-care is not about doing more or adding more tasks to an already overwhelming “to-do” list.  Healthy self-care can renew our spirits and help us become more resilient.  Self-care is most effective when approached proactively, not reactively.  Think of self-care as having three basic aspects: awareness, balance, and connection—the “ABC’s” of self-care. (The ABC's of Self Care | The Homeless Hub)

The ABC’s of Self-Care and Stress Reduction – Hartstein Psychological Services

300

Resilience

What is ability to be happy, successful again after difficult events. The ability to recover from or adjust to misfortune or change, even potentially better than before.

400

TIC

What is Trauma Informed Care? Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is an approach in the human service field that assumes that an individual is more likely than not to have a history of trauma. Trauma-Informed Care recognizes the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledges the role trauma may play in an individual’s life- including service staff.

500

Trauma

What is when we have encountered an out of control, frightening experience that has disconnected us from all sense of resourcefulness or safety or coping or love”. (Tara Brach, 2011) or

Trauma is the response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms an individuals ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, diminishes their sense of self and their ability to feel the full range of emotions and experiences.  or

As Bessel van der Kolk notes, trauma is specifically an event that overwhelms the central nervous system, altering the way we process and recall memories. “Trauma is not the story of something that happened back then," he adds. "It’s the current imprint of that pain, horror, and fear living inside people.”

Interventions

100

one way we calm our bodies - TIC Tool carts help with this

What is Grounding and self soothing? 

This is useful for immediate relief when we are overloaded by stress or overwhelming emotions.

200

3 or more types of grounding

5 Senses(54321), mindfulness, drumming, meditation, deep breathing, essential oils, ice water/cold water on hands(hold an ice cube), dig heals into earth, music, legos, coloring, etc

Grounding Techniques: 30 Techniques for Anxiety, PTSD, and More (healthline.com) 

Grounding Techniques & Self Soothing for Emotional Regulation | Eddins Counseling Group – Houston, TX

300

name of a type of proactive plan for recovery

What is WRAP(Wellness Recovery Action Plan)

400

TF-CBT

What is Trauma Focused-CBT?

Some tools: 

TF-CBT PRACTICE Checklist (washington.edu)

PTSD Coping tool exercise

500

5 parts or components of resiliency

Optimism, Meaning, Self-Care, Relationships, Self Awareness

• Positive relationships—is the most important factor.
• The ability to make plans and take action to solve problems.
• The capacity to manage difficult emotions—mindfulness is an important aspect here.
• Effective communication skills. (5 Ways to Build Resilience Every Day - Mindful)

set of five “change muscles” that help people use their energy more effectively during change. Let’s take a closer look: 

• Positive
• Focused
• Flexible
• Organized
• Proactive (Five Aspects of Resilience | Conner Partners )

Vicarious/secondary Trauma

100

Definition of Vicarious Trauma

What is a special form of countertransference stimulated by exposure to the client's traumatic material. Its hallmark is disrupted spirituality, or a disruption in the trauma workers' perceived meaning and hope. i.e. Reactions as a result of exposure to another persons trauma history, story, or stress reactions. 

Bonus: 100 pts what is countertransference?

200

range of responses to trauma narrative or secondary trauma

Negative, Neutral and Positive

How might each of these present?

Resources:

What is Vicarious Trauma? | What is Vicarious Trauma? | OVC (ojp.gov)

300

risk factors for vicarious/secondary trauma

• prior traumatic experiences;
• social isolation, both on and off the job;
• a tendency to avoid feelings, withdraw, or assign blame to others in stressful situations;
• difficulty expressing feelings;
• lack of preparation, orientation, training, and supervision in their jobs;
• being newer employees and less experienced at their jobs;
• constant and intense exposure to trauma with little or no variation in work tasks; and
• lack of an effective and supportive process for discussing traumatic content of the work.

400

suggestions for coworkers(how they can help)

• reaching out and talking to them individually about the impact of the work;
• helping them establish a consistent work-to-home transition that creates an important boundary and safe place outside the workplace;
• encouraging them to attend to the basics—sleep, healthy eating, hygiene, and exercise;
• supporting connections with family, friends, and coworkers;
• referring them to organizational supports such as a peer support team, employee assistance program, or chaplain; and
• encouraging them to discuss their experience with their supervisor.

500

Suggestions for Supervisors/Leadership

• discussing vicarious trauma as part of supervision;
• allowing flexible work schedules, recognizing the need for and protecting down time, while staying attuned to the possibility of withdrawal or isolation;
• creating time and a physical space at work for reflection through reading, writing, prayer, and meditation, among other activities; and
• referring to therapeutic and professional assistance, when appropriate.

Self Care

100

one thing you can do for self care

What is anything?!? Exercise, relaxation, music, movement, meditation, family, friends, therapy, coloring, video games, driving, the list is endless.

200

purpose, or why we practice self care

 To prevent burnout, foster self-compassion, stay well and motivated to deliver excellent care.

300

Name 2 things in your wellness toolbox

something quick & easy, inexpensive, books, music, laughter, gratitude, WRAP, Radical Acceptace, Supervision, Reiki/healing touch, massage, drumming, artwork, cooking, fishing.....

400

How to use Champion calls, network, TIC group and Supervision

•Assist in recognizing the needs to find balance in their work and personal lives

•Allow a space to talk about how they have been impacted by the trauma they encounter in their work

•Provide encouragement and emotional support

•Assist workers in establishing  boundaries between themselves & their clients

•Supervisors model healthy ways to manage

500

things included in WRAP that foster self-care

What are my daily maintenance plan, wellness toolbox, supporters, crisis plan, action plans for stressors/triggers, early warning signs, and when things are breaking down. 

Bonus: Who has a WRAP and uses it?

Skill Building for Veterans

100

WRAP

What I can use to plan for my wellness and recovery in advance?

What is an evidence based intervention that is peer-led, based on lived experience and built on Hope, Personal Responsibility, Education, Self-Advocacy, and Support.  

200

TIP(p)

Tipping the temperature of your face with very cold water or ice. 

Intense Exercise of at least 20 minutes

Paced breathing as well as progressive(or paired) muscle relaxation

300

Distress Tolerance

Although most mental health treatments emphasize change, this model pays tribute to the value which exists in accepting reality just as it is rather than attempting to make things different. The skills taught in this module will not solve the problem but will assist in not making the problem worse. These skills should be combined with problem solving and not overuse to the point that they become an avoidance of engaging in life and creating one’s life worth living. The distress tolerance skills help with surviving a crisis and in that vein help to determine what is an actual crisis versus what is something that’s just uncomfortable. 

Distress Tolerance Skills - Psychotherapy Academy

400

DBT

What is a treatment that has been empirically validated for a variety of different populations and issues including substance use disorders, suicide attempts, PTSD, self-harm, symptoms of depression and anxiety, eating disorders, that’s including binge eating and bulimic tendencies.

500

Increased protective factors, promotes resilience

What is the goal of all skill building, groups, trauma interventions- to build and increase resilience?

Connection and Relationships

Creating safety

9 Steps to Healing Childhood Trauma as an Adult | Psychology Today

Resiliency Building Skills to Practice for Trauma Recovery – The Art of Healing Trauma (new-synapse.com)