Are you wondering what a trauma-informed care initiative could do for your agency? Trauma-informed care has become a catch phrase of sorts, but what does it really mean? Here's a brief overview of what the change process looks like and what it could feel like for your staff.
The Traumatic Stress Institute’s Whole System Change Model involves two phases trainings spread across a span of a few months. One outcome of the model is that each organization then has its own internal group of Trainers and Champions. Trainers will then sustain the change initiative by training the Risking Connection and Restorative Approach curricula on a continuing basis. Champions will be assisting in whole system change by learning about other actionable steps to help the new initiative grow within the agency.
At the beginning of the second training we often ask Trainers and Champions what changes they have already noticed from the initial phase of training. Here are some of the most common answers:- We are listening to our clients more.
- We have more patience.
- We are getting along better as a team.
- When a client does something harmful, we try to understand why.
- We are talking more about how the work affects us.
- We are doing some fun things together.
- We have started playing with the clients more.
- We learned tools that help us understand our clients’ behaviors in a new way.
- We have new ideas for how to help our clients more effectively.
- We feel more connected to our agency and the individuals within it.
- We feel more valued by my agency.
- We learned it is okay to be a human being with human feelings, and how to take care of ourselves to remain energized and hopeful.
It is always inspiring to participate in the increase of hope and energy that a trauma-informed care initiative creates. Click below for more details about our change model.
Transform your system, transform your care
