What Is Trauma Informed Care?

Learn about trauma-informed care, how it works, and why it’s important for coping with trauma.

As awareness grows about the lasting effects of trauma—from adverse childhood experiences to domestic violence and other traumatic events—trauma-informed care has emerged as a vital approach in healthcare, mental health services, and human services. Trauma-informed care recognizes the widespread impact of trauma and prioritizes safety, trust, and healing in every interaction. Here is an explanation of what trauma-informed care is, how it works, and why it’s so essential to improving patient outcomes and reducing re-traumatization.

What is trauma-informed care?

Trauma-informed care is an approach to mental health services that recognizes the widespread impact of trauma and seeks to create environments that promote healing, safety, and empowerment. It shifts the focus from identifying what’s wrong with a person to understanding what may have happened in their past, recognizing that behaviors and symptoms often stem from previous trauma rather than personal shortcomings. This care model is rooted in an understanding of how trauma, whether it’s abuse, childhood trauma, or trauma exposure, can lead to long-term consequences. Rather than treating only the symptoms, trauma-informed care addresses the root causes of distress, offering more holistic and effective treatment for trauma survivors.

Why does trauma-informed care matter?

Trauma-informed care is important because it improves patient outcomes, reduces re-traumatization, and creates trust between providers and patients. It’s particularly vital in behavioral health, mental health services, and primary care settings, where unrecognized trauma can disrupt treatment and recovery. When care providers ignore the effects of past trauma, patients may disengage, feel unsafe, or avoid accessing healthcare services entirely. Implementing a trauma-informed model leads to more compassionate, respectful, and responsive care that builds long-term healing and resilience while also being foundational to violence prevention and better public health outcomes.

How does trauma-informed care work?

Trauma informed care integrates trauma awareness into all aspects of care, through creating safe environments, training staff to recognize trauma symptoms, and collaborating with patients in a way that honors their experiences and choices. Here are some of the main principles seen in trauma informed care.

1. Safety

Safety is arguably the most important aspect of trauma informed care, where both patients and staff must feel physically and emotionally secure. Safety involves more than just preventing physical harm—it includes creating environments that are predictable, respectful, and free of judgment. This might include private spaces, using calming design elements, or ensuring consistent communication. When people feel safe, they are more likely to engage in care, build trust with providers, and begin the process of healing from trauma.

2. Trustworthiness & transparency

Clear communication and consistent expectations are essential to building trustworthiness and transparency in a trauma-informed setting. This means being honest about processes, explaining what will happen during care, and following through on commitments. When people know what to expect and feel informed at every step, it reduces anxiety, builds a sense of control, and builds a trusting relationship between patients and providers. Transparency helps to repair the loss of trust that often accompanies trauma and creates a more collaborative, respectful care environment.

3. Collaboration

Equal partnerships between providers and patients is another key part of trauma informed care. Rather than taking a top-down or authoritative approach, providers work alongside patients to develop care plans, set goals, and make decisions together. This collaborative model respects the patient’s voice, values their lived experience, and encourages active participation in their healing process. It helps restore a sense of control and empowerment, which are often taken away by trauma, and leads to more meaningful care.

What is the impact of trauma on health?

Trauma can have profound and lasting effects on both physical and mental health, often shaping behavior, relationships, and engagement with care. These are some of the most common effects of trauma on health. 

1. Chronic illness

Trauma, especially when experienced early in life or repeatedly over time, can have lasting effects on the body’s stress response system. Prolonged exposure to traumatic stress can dysregulate hormones, weaken the immune system, and contribute to inflammation, all factors that increase the risk for chronic illnesses. Those who have experienced trauma at some point often develop chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, autoimmune disorders, and gastrointestinal issues. When left unaddressed, the physiological toll of trauma can silently impact health for years, highlighting the importance of trauma-informed approaches in healthcare settings.

2. Substance use disorders

Unresolved trauma can be a significant risk factor for the development of substance use disorders, as many people turn to drugs or alcohol as a way to cope with overwhelming emotions. This form of self-medication may offer temporary relief, like numbing trauma symptoms, but it often leads to dependency and further complicates recovery. Trauma-informed care recognizes this link and focuses on addressing the root causes of substance use, offering safer, more compassionate pathways to healing and long-term recovery.

3. Mental illness

Trauma can profoundly impact mental health by altering brain development, disrupting emotional regulation, and impairing a person’s ability to cope with stress. These changes increase the risk for a range of mental health disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and complex trauma, which often stems from repeated exposure to distressing events during childhood. Left unaddressed, these effects can interfere with daily functioning, relationships, and overall well-being, making trauma-informed mental health services essential for effective support and recovery.

How can healthcare services become trauma-informed?

Healthcare services become trauma-informed by embedding trauma awareness into clinical workflows, patient interactions, and staff protocols. These ways include:

1. Training all healthcare providers to recognize trauma signs

The first and most important step in becoming a trauma-informed organization is training all healthcare providers to recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma. When providers can identify indicators of trauma exposure, such as hypervigilance, withdrawal, or unexplained physical symptoms, they’re better equipped to respond with empathy and avoid practices that could unintentionally re-traumatize patients. This awareness fosters safer, more supportive healthcare environments, improves patient engagement and lays the groundwork for more effective, respectful treatment.

2. Using trauma-sensitive language during assessments

Using trauma-sensitive language during assessments is essential for creating a safe and respectful experience for people with a history of trauma. This means choosing words that are nonjudgmental, validating, and empowering to avoid language that could trigger trauma symptoms or feel invasive. When providers communicate with care and awareness, patients are more likely to feel heard, understood, and in control of their own stories.

3. Creating welcoming, inclusive environments

Creating welcoming, inclusive environments is another key part of delivering trauma-informed care. From the physical design of a space to the way staff greet and interact with patients, every element should promote a sense of safety, respect, and belonging. Inclusive settings recognize and honor diverse identities, experiences, and backgrounds, which is especially important for trauma survivors who may feel vulnerable or marginalized. These environments help encourage patient engagement and support healing by showing that everyone is valued and supported.

4. Empowering patients’ choices during treatment

Empowering patients’ choices during treatment is a fundamental aspect of trauma-informed care. Trauma often involves a loss of control, so restoring a sense of autonomy is essential to a person’s healing process. Whether it’s choosing how information is shared, deciding between treatment options, or setting personal goals, giving patients meaningful choices creates trust, reduces feelings of helplessness, and strengthens engagement. This collaborative approach respects each person’s lived experience and supports more personalized, effective care.

How can providers avoid re-traumatization?

Providers can avoid re-traumatization by creating environments of choice, respect, and transparency to avoid triggers that may remind patients of their past trauma. Here are some of the methods providers can use to avoid these triggers.

1. Asking permission before touching or examining a patient

Asking permission before touching or examining a patient is a simple yet powerful way to prevent re-traumatization in a healthcare setting. For people with a history of physical abuse, sexual violence, or other traumatic experiences, unexpected touch can trigger intense emotional or physiological responses. By being clear with each step, seeking consent, and respecting boundaries, healthcare providers can help patients feel safe, in control, and respected. This practice builds trust and reinforces the sense that the care environment is a safe space for healing.

2. Offering options during care 

Additionally, offering options during care is a key principle of trauma-informed practice, helping to prevent re-traumatization and promote a sense of control. Trauma often involves situations where a person’s choices are ignored or taken away, so restoring autonomy through meaningful decision-making is essential. Whether it’s choosing between treatment methods, deciding the pace of an assessment, or selecting who is present during a procedure, these options help patients feel respected, safe, and actively involved in their own healing journey.

3. Explaining each step of a procedure

It’s important to explain each step of a procedure, especially when with patients who have experienced some form of trauma in their life. For those with a history of trauma, especially medical trauma or abuse, unexpected actions or unclear processes can trigger fear, anxiety, or trauma symptoms. By clearly communicating what will happen, why it’s necessary, and what to expect, care providers build trust, reduce uncertainty, and support patient engagement. 

4. Using grounding techniques if trauma responses arise

In the case that a trauma response does arise, providers should be properly equipped with the skills and knowledge to deal with it. Grounding techniques, such as deep breathing, sensory awareness, or gentle movement, can help people reconnect with the present moment and feel more in control during times of distress. For someone experiencing a trauma trigger or flashback, grounding can reduce overwhelm and support emotional regulation. By recognizing these responses and responding with calm, supportive strategies, care providers create safer, more responsive environments that support healing and avoid re-traumatization.

How Charlie Health can help

If you or a loved one are struggling with a mental health disorder, Charlie Health is here to help. Charlie Health’s virtual Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) provides more than once-weekly mental health treatment for dealing with serious mental health conditions. Our expert clinicians incorporate evidence-based therapies into individual counseling, family therapy, and group sessions. With treatment, managing your mental health is possible. Fill out the form below or give us a call to start healing today.