The impact of trauma can show up anywhere. This includes work, school, and other environments where you’re expected to behave a certain way. Since we know that trauma affects how our brain develops, it makes sense that its impact can show up in how we learn, how we handle stress, and how we communicate and interact with others. That’s why the framework of trauma-informed practices has expanded beyond clinical environments and into workplaces, schools, and beyond.
Trauma can affect people anywhere, so trauma-informed practices should be everywhere.
Whether you’re an HR manager, teacher, supervisor, or just someone trying to create a more supportive environment, understanding the six core principles of trauma-informed care is important to everyday life.
Originally developed by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), these principles help guide more compassionate, equity-focused practices.
What it Means: Supporting physical and emotional safety for everyone, especially by creating environments that are predictable, consistent, and nonthreatening
Why it Matters: People who have been through trauma may have lifelong experiences of feeling unsafe.
Examples:
What it Means: Being honest, open, and dependable in interactions and communications. Working to earn and keep trust with everyone involved
Why it Matters: People who have experienced high adversity and trauma might have a hard time trusting others, especially people in authority (i.e., managers, supervisors).
Examples:
What it Means: Understanding the importance of people with shared, lived experiences supporting one another.
Why it Matters: People who have experienced trauma and high adversity might trust and learn more readily from those with similar experiences.
Examples:
What it Means: Supporting and building relationships based on shared decision making and mutual respect. People recognize and address power differences in relationships (i.e., staff/supervisor, student/teacher).
Why it Matters: People who have been through trauma and adversity often have a history of being treated poorly and experiences harm at the hands of others.
Examples:
What it Means:Recognizing people as experts in their own experiences. Supporting people in making their own choices and using their voice.
What it Matters: People who have experienced trauma have often been in situations where they had low or no control over what is happening to them.
Examples:
What it Means: Recognizing and addressing the impact of culture, history, and gender on experiences of trauma and recovery. This includes adapting services and practices to be culturally responsive and gender affirming, understanding and respecting diverse backgrounds, identities, and perspectives and actively moving past stereotypes and biases.
Why it Matters: People from marginalized groups can be exposed to racism and discrimination that are direct forms of trauma and adversity and/or can make them more vulnerable to its effects.
Examples:
Trauma-informed practices isn’t a buzzword. It’s a framework for creating spaces where people can thrive, not just survive.
When implemented thoughtfully, these six principles help change systems to promote equity, and build resilient communities where everyone feels safe, valued, and empowered to show up fully. In workplaces and schools alike, the future is trauma-informed. Let’s build it together.
The NYS TINRC Newsletter is produced by CCSI. The views, opinions, and content expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions, or policies of the New York State Office of Mental Health (NYS OMH).
