6 Guiding Principles
Safety. Strive to create environments where people feel physically and emotionally safe.
Collaboration and mutuality. Striving for dignity and equality in our relationships by sharing power and decision-making so that everyone has a role to play.
Trustworthiness and transparency. Striving to build and maintain trust by being transparent in our actions and choices.
Empowerment and choice. Striving to recognize, validate, and build on the strengths that people have to offer, and work to facilitate recovery rather than control it.
Peer support. Striving to encourage trust and collaboration by sharing stories and lived experiences that promote recovery and healing.
Cultural, historical, and gender issues. Striving to move past biases, recognize historical trauma and the healing power of cultural connections, and incorporate practices that are responsive to racial, ethnic, and cultural needs.
The Four "R"s
The four “R’s” represent four step-by-step assumptions for implementing a trauma-informed approach.
Realizing the prevalence of trauma. Over 40% of Australians report at least one adverse childhood experience while growing up.
Recognizing how trauma affects individuals. Trauma can overwhelm a person's ability to cope and lead to negative consequences, including harmful substance use, as well as mental and physical health problems.
Responding by putting this knowledge into practice. Trauma-informed practices create safe environments for clients that promote healing and recovery by prioritizing people’s dignity, voice, and self-empowerment.
Resisting re-traumatization. This means recognizing and taking steps to minimize situations that could cause distress or mirror the person's traumatic experiences.
References
https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/resilient/trauma-informed-practices.htm