Addictions Trauma-informed treatment

Overview

 Trauma is a health problem that occurs due to emotionally harmful experiences such as loss, violence, war, and more. Research on trauma has found that addressing trauma is a process that needs a trauma-informed approach. Note that victims of trauma, their families, and communities are affected by trauma. In specific, victims of trauma suffer from negative effects such as health risk behaviors, behavioral disorders, and more. However, victims of trauma and other people who are indirectly affected can overcome the traumatic experience through the right supports and intervention. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has established a framework that service providers should follow in providing trauma-informed care. The main goal of the framework is to create a trauma-informed approach and ensure that the service providers connect the trauma with behavioral issues.  In working with Sophie, I will adhere to the following principles and I am they will promote recovery and resilience. 

Part A

• Trauma awareness

 The first principle that I will employ is to understand the effect of trauma on client’s emotional and physical well-being. Note that victims of trauma develop behavioral and mental issues such as depression, anxiety, difficulty eating, substance abuse, and more (SAMHSA, 2014). The purpose of gaining awareness and understanding is to understand the impact of trauma and provide trauma-focused services. It is important to integrate trauma knowledge. This principle will be helpful to both of us in that as a service provided, I will avoid re-traumatization and use the most appropriate behavioral health practice.  Besides, awareness and understanding will promote interaction.  I will use my ability to take the necessary step and provide the best protective services.

• Safety

             In helping Sophie to overcome the traumatic experience, I will create a safe physical and psychological environment. The purpose of a safe environment is to promote interactions and ensure that the client has gained a sense of physical and emotional safety (SAMHSA, 2014).  This principle will be helpful in that Sophie will not be exposed to distressing circumstances or environment and as a result, she will feel comfortable and gain a sense of control. I will also create a safe environment through compassionate communication. Victims of trauma need a soothing voice to promote the client's emotional well-being. This strategy will encourage the client to comply with practices and focus on a bright future.

• Choice and autonomy

Another principle that I employ is giving the client a role to play. In a trauma-informed approach, it is important to involve the client in decision making and allow them use their self-advocacy skills (SAMHSA, 2014). In working with Sophie, I will act as a controller of recovery.  Note that the choice and voice will allow the client to express herself and make effective decisions regarding trauma treatment. For example, she is smoking marijuana and she easily becomes irritated. Despite these obvious behavioral problems, she fails to admit or confess about the substance abuse, and compulsive behaviors. In a trauma-informed approach, I will appreciate her perception and responses to the traumatic experiences.  After understanding her expertise, I will collaborate to find solutions. Sophie will gain a sense of control and this will help come up with the best treatment plan. Also, the choice and control will aid in recovery.

 Part B

 In working with Sophie, I have realized that some treatment principles will be challenging and therefore it will difficult for me to adopt.  However, I will use the appropriate strategies to manage potential challenges

• Addressing secondary trauma

            As a social worker, there is a possibility that Sophie's traumatic experience will affect me. In other words, Sophie's situation will not get out of my head and the experiences will result in vicarious traumatization. Sophie was not only harassed by her uncle but she experienced harassment from strangers. These experiences are emotionally challenging and as social workers, I am expected to create an empathetic engagement to help the client. Exposure to these traumatic experiences will impact my mental well-being in that I will develop anger and resentment toward the tormentors.  I will develop a negative worldwide and feel helpless. As a social worker, my question is 'how will I address the secondary trauma? How I will promote self-care?  How I will avoid work-related stress? These questions cling into my mind because I am intensively involved in caring for the client and I am unable to care for myself. However, I will solve the challenge by developing awareness of the unwanted traumatic memories, find peer support, create a balanced lifestyle, set boundaries, accept life disruptions, and develop realistic expectations

• Commitment to trauma-informed care

 I have realized that this principle is challenging.  As a social worker, I am expected to create a commitment to all trauma-informed systems.  For example, I need personal and professional development, and specific strategies to promote trauma-informed services. Trauma-informed care focus on developing new models and transforming services (SAMHSA, 2014). Note that as a social worker, I do not only deal with the victim of trauma, but I also work with the family to improve their well-being. Thus, there are different services offered and this means that systemic change is needed. Commitment and resources toward the system change are a challenge and this may create resistance to change, and hinder an effective provision of services. However, change is inevitable, or in other words, the social workers need to change the practices and gain a holistic understanding (SAMHSA, 2014). Thus, I will address this challenge by joining staff training and collaborating with the trauma-response team.

• A social-cultural perspective

            Another challenge in applying the principles is understanding the client's cultural background. As a social worker, I am supposed to understand the cross-cutting factors that may have contributed to the traumatic experiences. Even though the culturally responsive treatment will aid in treatment planning, the principle may hinder therapeutic relationships (SAMHSA, 2014). This is due to power imbalance, and cultural and ethnic variation. However, I will address this problem by developing cultural competence. This means that as a social worker, I will incorporate cultural values and social norms and employ cultural-specific strategies. I must recognize that some cultures experience traumatic events, cultures can act as a source of strength,  culture can influence how a  client responds to trauma,  among other factors that I should put into consideration.

 The above SAMHSA treatment principles will be necessary when working with the client.  It is important to note that a trauma-informed approach entails the application of these principles as they aim to promote recovery and resilience. Rather than using practices or procedures, it is important to employ evidence-based practices as they not only solve the client's traumatic experience but they go further to provide an understanding and awareness across cultures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. SAMHSA (2014). A treatment

improvement protocol: Trauma-informed care in behavioral health services, Tip 57.