Trauma-Informed Care and Trauma Responses
The Center for Health Care Strategies defines trauma as “exposure to an incident or series of emotionally disturbing or life-threatening events with lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being.” (2024, para. 1). Traumatic experiences include; physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, childhood neglect, living with a family member with mental health or substance use disorders, unexplained separation from a loved one, poverty, racism, discrimination, oppression, violence in the community, war, or terrorism.
People who have traumatic experiences may develop coping mechanisms to help reduce the emotional and physical pain they feel as a result of the experience. “Sometimes, these strategies involve maladaptive behaviors — such as unhealthy eating, tobacco use, or drug and alcohol use. These coping mechanisms may provide some relief, but they can also simultaneously contribute to anxiety, social isolation, and chronic diseases.”(Center for Health Care Strategies, para. 5). Four major responses to traumatic events are fight, flight, freeze, and fawn.
A fight response is a combative response when an individual feels threatened. It can involve being quick to anger by verbally argumentative, yelling, or punching an attacker. Tiffany Sauber Millacci Ph.D. writes, “This reaction may include any attempt to stand up against a threat. It is a form of assertiveness. At a healthy level, it delineates healthy boundaries.” (Positive Psychology, 2023).
The flight response is an attempt to avoid the actual or perceived threat. This can manifest as literally or metaphorically running from danger. Millacci states, “Individuals may be unconsciously seeking external support or validation to cope with the trauma. Seeking refuge or solace in the empathy or validation of others is an illustration of the flight response.” (para. 20).
When assessing a situation, an individual may default to the freeze response to trauma. Millacci explains, “ Binge eating could be considered a freeze response (Rodriguez-Quiroga et al., 2021). Instead of facing the situation, a person who engages in binge eating consumes an unusually large amount of food in a relatively short amount of time. This type of food consumption may serve as self-soothing behavior or self-medication.”(para. 25). This response helps individuals process the threat.
The fawn response to trauma imitates another’s gestures, facial expressions, or speech. Millacci writes, “The trauma response stems from our innate need for social connection and co-regulation.” People who display a fawn response are more likely to experience temporomandibular joint disorder (TMJ) also known as lockjaw. Millacci furthers, “People who frequently demonstrate the fawn response may be described as people-pleasers, workaholics, over-explainers, and over-apologizers.”(para. 31). Trauma responses are automatic and self-protective reactions to a traumatic event.
Individuals with disabilities have higher rates of trauma exposure due to their disability. The Traumatic Stress Institute states, “Research, not surprisingly, has found that people with developmental disabilities have alarmingly high rates of trauma — Individuals with disabilities are four times more likely to be victims of crimes as non-disabled.” (2024, para. 2). People with disabilities require intentional and adaptive care depending on their needs. The Mental Health and Developmental Disabilities National Training Center defines trauma-informed care as using information about how people are affected by trauma to provide them with better treatment.
An informed approach to caring for someone who has experienced trauma recognizes the role the experience played in the individual’s life. The Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities encourages the provider to reframe their mind by reforming questions. For example, asking “What is your diagnosis?” becomes “What is your story?” (2024, para. 4). Trauma-informed care focuses on empowerment, safety, collaboration, and empathy.
With a commitment to the individual, Echoing Hills provides an environment where those we serve can feel safe, seen, and secure. By demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ, staff display a humble devotion to those whose greatest need is genuine friendship.
https://www.traumainformedcare.chcs.org/what-is-trauma/
https://positivepsychology.com/trauma-response/
