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Implementing Trauma-Informed Practices To Help Communities Heal
Student Name
Institutional Affiliation
Course Name & Course Number
Instructor’s Name
Due Date
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Implementing Trauma-Informed Practices To Help Communities Heal
When helping communities process and heal from trauma, I think some of the most
important TIC (trauma-informed care) practices I will implement in my practice are: safety,
trustworthiness and transparency, collaboration and mutuality, and empowerment and choice.
According to the Duquesne University School of Nursing (2020), safety is a community trauma-
informed practice. I will achieve this by ensuring community members feel physically and
psychologically safe in order to express emotions and experiences related to the trauma . This will
involve setting clear guidelines for respectful communication and having counselors available.
According to Shamai (2016), trustworthiness and transparency are some of the practices
involved in community trauma-informed practices. I will complete this by being open, honest,
and consistent in communications and actions with the community. This is because clearly
explaining any interventions and providing opportunities for community input and feedback
promotes openness and reduces fear. Collaboration and mutuality will involve partnering with
community leaders and members as equals to determine priorities and appropriate interventions.
This is because recognizing the community itself has strengths and skills is critical to its own
healing. Empowerment and choice will involve providing communities agency in determining
their own path forward. This is because ensuring the community to have choices in processing
and addressing trauma is helpful at both individual and collective levels.
Question
What role can social workers play in advocating for communities affected by collective trauma?
How might we partner with communities for systemic change?
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References
Duquesne University School of Nursing. (2020, October 26). What Are the 6 Principles of
Trauma-Informed Care? | Duquesne University. Duquesne University School of Nursing.
[Link]
Shamai, M (2016). Systemic Interventions for Collective and National Trauma.