The following resources outline tactics for implementing trauma-informed care as professionals as well as some common interventions utilized in addressing and rehabilitating trauma.
The following infographic highlights 10 steps that providers and organizations can take to become trauma-informed in their practices.(10)
The following interventions are frequently utilized by trauma-informed healthcare providers. Select the tabs to learn more and to access some relevant literature on each topic.
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is any type of therapeutic intervention that includes or incorporates interaction with animals. Animals of all kinds can be utilized in AAT, though the most common animals involved are horses, dogs, cats, and birds (11).
This may entail working with a clinic that specializes in animal-assisted interventions or visiting a facility that has animals specifically designated for therapeutic interventions (i.e. an equestrian facility specializing in hippotherapy) (12).
Service animals are individually trained to perform monitoring and/or alerting tasks for individuals with specific health needs. While service animals have shown to be effective in increasing quality of life for those who have experienced trauma, service animals are NOT seen as an application of animal-assisted therapy (11).
Art therapy is a subsection of psychotherapy and mental health based interventions that utilize art-making, creative process, psychological theory, and experiences of the patient (13). Art therapy is available for individuals of all ages and for patients who have experienced trauma or need to develop coping skills for other mental health reasons.
One of the common themes across literature related to trauma-informed care is the importance of educating clinical staff and professionals in trauma-informed approaches to avoid re-traumatization of patients and increase overall positive clinical experiences (14).
Because of this, several frameworks and applications have been created for incorporating trauma-informed care into curricula for medical schools, health sciences graduate schools, and nursing programs.
Music therapy involves the clinical usse of musical interventions to accomplish goals within a therapeutic environment (15). Music therapists are credentialed professionals who provide music interventions with patients for a variety of purposes, including managing traumatic stress. Music therapy can take place both in inpatient and outpatient facilities, depending on the program (16).
Music therapy might entail creating music, singing, playing instruments, dancing to music, or listening to music (16).
One of the ways that clinicians can actively move towards being trauma-informed in their practice is to screen patients for signs and symptoms of trauma or adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) during or prior to visits.
There are numerous resources for facilitating screening and assessment provided by National Child Traumatic Stress Network and the Trauma-Informed Care Implementation Resource Center.
