Trauma is more common than we think—over 70% of adults have experienced trauma at some point in their lives (1). Yet, many schools, workplaces, and communities are not trauma-informed, which means people who have experienced trauma often face environments that inadvertently retraumatize rather than support healing.
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?” and, more importantly, “How can we create an environment where you feel safe and supported?”
In this post, we’ll explore:
- What Trauma-Informed Care is and why it matters
- The six key principles that make an environment trauma-informed
- How TIC benefits schools, workplaces, and communities
What is Trauma-Informed Care?
Understanding Trauma-Informed Care
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is an approach that acknowledges the impact of trauma and creates supportive environments that foster healing rather than unintentionally causing harm.
TIC isn’t about diagnosing or treating trauma. Instead, it’s about reducing retraumatization by shifting policies, practices, and interactions to promote safety, trust, and empowerment.
Why TIC Matters
Many institutions operate under traditional models that do not recognize trauma responses:
- Schools may discipline students for “misbehavior” without understanding their behavior as a trauma response.
- Workplaces might see employee disengagement as laziness instead of signs of burnout or secondary trauma.
- Communities may enforce policies that criminalize survival behaviors rather than addressing the root causes of trauma.
Without TIC, individuals often feel misunderstood, unsafe, and unsupported, leading to increased school dropout rates, job turnover, mental health struggles, and systemic harm.
The 6 Key Principles of Trauma-Informed Care
For any environment to be truly trauma-informed, it must be guided by these six core principles (2):
1. Safety
✔ Physical, emotional, and psychological safety must be prioritized.
✔ Environments should be predictable, welcoming, and non-threatening.
✔ Schools, workplaces, and communities must create spaces where people feel safe to express themselves.
2. Peer Support
✔ Relationships and shared experiences are key to healing.
✔ Schools can create peer mentoring programs to foster connection.
✔ Workplaces should offer peer support networks for employees.
3. Trustworthiness & Transparency
✔ Clear, open communication builds trust.
✔ Organizations must be honest about policies, expectations, and changes.
✔ Schools and workplaces should avoid punitive approaches that erode trust.
4. Collaboration & Mutuality
✔ Giving people a voice in decisions that affect them is crucial.
✔ Students should be included in discussions about discipline and learning styles.
✔ Employees should be encouraged to provide input on workplace culture.
5. Cultural, Historical & Gender Sensitivity
✔ Trauma-informed spaces must be inclusive and culturally aware.
✔ Schools, workplaces, and communities should acknowledge and respect diverse experiences.
✔ Public services should be accessible in multiple languages and free from bias.
6. Empowerment, Voice & Choice
✔ Organizations must believe in the ability of those they serve to heal and recover.
✔ Schools, workplaces, and communities should offer opportunities for individuals to participate in shaping their environment.
✔ TIC must prioritize self-determination and promote autonomy.
When these principles guide policies and interactions, trauma-informed environments become places of healing rather than harm.
Why Trauma-Informed Care is Critical in Different Settings
In Schools
Why it matters: Many students experience trauma, affecting their ability to learn and engage. Without TIC, schools may retraumatize students through punitive discipline and lack of emotional support.
✅ Ways to Implement TIC:
- Shift to restorative discipline instead of punitive punishments.
- Train teachers and staff to recognize trauma responses.
- Provide safe spaces for emotional regulation.
In Workplaces
Why it matters: Work can either support healing or exacerbate trauma, depending on policies and culture. Burnout, toxic work environments, and lack of psychological safety contribute to workplace trauma.
✅ Ways to Implement TIC:
- Encourage leadership training in trauma-informed communication.
- Offer flexible work policies and mental health support.
- Reduce stigma around mental health and secondary trauma.
In Communities
Why it matters: Public policies, law enforcement, and social services play a huge role in either empowering or retraumatizing individuals.
✅ Ways to Implement TIC:
- Support trauma-informed policing and public safety initiatives.
- Advocate for community healing spaces.
- Push for systemic change in policies that perpetuate harm.
Final Thoughts: Why We Must Push for Trauma-Informed Spaces
TIC is not just a buzzword—it’s a necessary shift that can transform lives. When we build trauma-informed schools, workplaces, and communities, we create environments where people feel supported, understood, and able to heal.
✔ Schools produce healthier, more engaged students.
✔ Workplaces see better employee retention and well-being.
✔ Communities become more just, equitable, and compassionate.
The good news? You can be part of this change.
Next Step: Download our free Change Agent Starter Guide to start implementing trauma-informed practices today!
📢 *Stay tuned for the next post in our series: “How to Advocate for Trauma-Informed Care in Schools, Workplaces, and Communities.”
Sources
- Benjet C, Bromet E, Karam EG, Kessler RC, McLaughlin KA, Ruscio AM, Shahly V, Stein DJ, Petukhova M, Hill E, Alonso J, Atwoli L, Bunting B, Bruffaerts R, Caldas-de-Almeida JM, de Girolamo G, Florescu S, Gureje O, Huang Y, Lepine JP, Kawakami N, Kovess-Masfety V, Medina-Mora ME, Navarro-Mateu F, Piazza M, Posada-Villa J, Scott KM, Shalev A, Slade T, ten Have M, Torres Y, Viana MC, Zarkov Z, Koenen KC. The epidemiology of traumatic event exposure worldwide: results from the World Mental Health Survey Consortium. Psychol Med. 2016 Jan;46(2):327-43. doi: 10.1017/S0033291715001981. Epub 2015 Oct 29. PMID: 26511595; PMCID: PMC4869975.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach (HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4884). https://store.samhsa. gov/sites/default/files/d7/priv/sma14-4884.pdf