Date of publishing: 09.01.26
Author: Anastasia Kaminskaia
Nowadays, there is a great deal of confusion around trauma-informed care. There are many factors contributing to this confusion, and we will explore some of them in this article.
I will also talk about such terms as “trauma-trained” and “trauma-focused” to help you better distinguish between different practitioners, therapists, and the ways they can support you in your trauma healing.
Moreover, I have written this article with fellow trauma professionals in mind, as well as aspiring professionals, to support them in making better choices in relation to the professional education they pursue and the words they choose to convey their expertise.
Factors contributing to confusion with the word 'trauma-informed'
First of all, trauma healing has somehow become a big business driven by profit, which makes me feel sick to my core. As a result, we see many people talking about trauma online and offering trauma-healing services despite having no proper education on the subject, no personal qualities required for this type of work, or even lived experience with the type of trauma they are supporting others with.
We all have the right to talk about trauma, share our personal experiences with trauma, and support people in our lives who are struggling with trauma. However, it is an entirely different matter when we begin offering services to trauma survivors and promising trauma healing without the necessary skills to support them and a deep enough understanding of the subject.
Working with trauma survivors comes with a big responsibility. Nobody might report or sue you for providing a poor or negligent service, but if you re-traumatise or harm your clients in any way, it is not OK. Accidents may happen, though, but it is the responsibility of the trauma professional to do everything right and repair the relationships with their clients.
There are many other nuances that trauma survivors need to be aware of when it comes to receiving safe and professional support. I will explore these in more detail later in the article.
Secondly, since trauma is a big business nowadays, there are lots of people and organisations creating trauma-informed courses, which can be quite ambiguous in the nature of their application. Those course providers may also mislead you with their advertising, making you believe that you will be able to do more with their certificate than you actually can. There is also a problem of integrity here: course providers calling their courses “trauma-informed” when they are not, or course providers who do not have an appropriate professional background to create trauma-informed courses. In spite of all that, we definitely should be grateful that the term “trauma-informed” has become so popular. We all experience trauma, and we all deserve to live in a society where trauma is not weaponised against us.
Another thing that is important to mention here is that trauma-informed courses are not created equally. You might find a 2–10 hour workshop or course on trauma-informed care, and you will also find very in-depth and comprehensive 60-hour (or more) training courses, with or without practical application of the theoretical material.
If you are striving to become a professional in the trauma field, you need to be able to distinguish between courses that have high value for your professional development and those that have zero value.
If you are a trauma survivor, you need to be able to distinguish a properly trained practitioner with direct trauma experience from someone who only thinks they are properly trained.
You do not need to get too crazy here. Be informed but trust your intuition as well.
Thirdly, “trauma-informed” has become a frequently used buzzword, losing its original significance, which is unfortunate because “trauma-informed” is a very serious title to hold.
As the trauma field is developing, more and more words and titles are being created. They then get recycled by many people, and we eventually end up with a broken telephone message. This makes everything absolutely confusing at times. So, I do not blame you if your head is spinning trying to understand what the word “trauma-informed” actually means.
I see that many licensed psychologists and certified coaches do not understand the differences between all these novel titles/words and how they can be applied to their field. I also see many therapists online saying that the words “trauma” and “coaching” cannot go hand in hand, but they actually can. Such remarks are based on complete ignorance and create a lot of confusion, anger, fear, and misunderstanding for psychotherapists, coaches in the trauma field, and their clients.
Therapists do not automatically possess the right skills and personal qualities to work effectively with trauma survivors and support trauma recovery unless they have been properly trained in the type of trauma they are helping their clients with and have their own personal experience with trauma. I do understand the frustration therapists experience when they hear this. They have to study for years and abide by all the rules, and then they realise that they need to study more. Coaches experience this problem as well, just in a different capacity. It is frustrating, but it is a problem of the system, not therapists or coaches.
Trauma-informed coaches, healers, and hypnosis practitioners cannot work with trauma survivors safely and effectively without appropriate training and personal experience with trauma. Professionals who do not have the right skills and personal qualities to work with trauma survivors will cause re-traumatisation of their clients. It does not matter whether you are a therapist or a coach. Anyone who is not properly trained in the subject will cause more harm than good when working with trauma survivors. Therefore, I urge all professionals to be aware of this.
Now, let’s look at each of the titles/words in more depth to understand what they actually mean:
Trauma-Informed Care
The word "trauma-Informed" implies the process by which we provide any type of service as well as processes, practices and policies that govern agencies and organisations. Trauma-informed approach can be applied anywhere. It is a philosophy and a way of being which guides everything that we do in life and in business.
Anyone can hold a "trauma-informed" title meaning that even those people who do not directly work with trauma can be "trauma-informed".
Trauma-informed approach requires a lot of self-reflection, ongoing evaluation and action. It is a commitment to our clients and continuous implementation of trauma-informed care. It is also a term which have been continuously developing and hence requires us to keep staying up to date to where it is at.
Most importantly, trauma-informed care ensures that whatever we teach and whatever we do will not re-traumatise individuals and communities we come in contact with.
When a coach or a therapist holds a "trauma-informed" title from a reputable organisation, it means that they:
implement trauma-informed care into their practice,
have the foundational knowledge of how trauma impacts people's lives and what facilitates healing,
committed to avoiding re-traumatisation of their clients.
It does NOT mean that they can help you on your trauma recovery journey or in your trauma healing. Yes, even if they are a licensed therapist. They might, however, offer you support, compassion, empathy, and understanding. I use the word “might” here because being certified in trauma-informed care does not necessarily mean that a professional has all the personal qualities and knowledge required to offer that care.
Trauma-informed specialists should be able to educate you on the impact of trauma on your life. They might also have tools and resources to support you within the scope of the work they do. For example, yoga teachers and massage therapists may implement a trauma-informed approach into their work, catering to trauma survivors’ needs.
Being trauma-informed is very important for everyone because trauma is a part of life, and trauma survivors are everywhere. They are your customers. They are your employers and employees. They are your friends and family members. They are also random people you see on the streets.
Through trauma-informed care, we create a society that understands neurodivergence and individual differences, supporting trauma survivors in their work and lives. Trauma-informed care also creates environments that facilitate personal growth and self-healing.
Remember that the term “trauma-informed” is unfortunately used in different ways by different individuals and organisations. Therefore, diving deeply into its actual meaning is extremely important before pursuing a “trauma-informed” certification or choosing a professional to work with. This may also help you avoid many unpleasant situations.
Before working with someone who positions themselves as a professional in the trauma field, you need to do your own research and check their experience and educational background before booking a session with them. Many people realise that not every trauma-informed practitioner works in the same way, and that can be frustrating. Some professionals may have more education and experience with trauma, and some less. Depending on their educational background, personal experience with trauma, and their character, you will be able to form an idea of whether they can help you with your struggles.
Trauma-Informed Principles
To understand what is behind the word 'trauma-informed', let's look at they key guiding principals of this type of care:
Safety (physical, emotional, psychological, etc.)
Trauma causes people to lose their sense of safety in the world. Sometimes this is because safety was never an option, beginning in childhood, or because something bad happened to them at some point in life, which made them fear other people and the world at large. There are many layers to safety, and those layers must be recognised by trauma-informed professionals. This first principle implies enforcing no discrimination toward your clients’ gender, sexual orientation, nationality, race, or culture of origin. Professionals who engage in discrimination at any level, even when they find ways to justify their behaviours or opinions, are not trauma-informed and are not interested in making this world a better place.
Trustworthiness and Transparency
Many trauma survivors have a history of relational trauma, where their trust was betrayed and where there was no clarity or transparency. Therefore, a “trauma-informed” approach implies a commitment to taking responsibility for your actions, actually doing what you promised, and being transparent about the work you do.
Peer Support
A lot of the trauma we experience in life is relational in nature. When we provide others with support and when we receive support from our peers or community, it empowers us and makes us feel safe and connected to the world around us. This principle also encourages professionals to create meaningful relationships with their clients, as well as between their clients and members of their community.
Collaboration and Mutuality
This guiding principle addresses the question of power dynamics. In the coaching field, and especially in the medical and psychological fields, professionals have clear power and authority over their clients or patients.
This fourth principle encourages us to treat our clients as equals as much as possible, in a way that does not lower our professionalism or threaten our ethics.
My favourite aspect of this principle is treating clients as experts in their own experiences and collaborating and co-creating with them. I think this is something we rarely experience in this world, yet all of us should have agency in our healing journeys because only we know what is truly helpful and good for us.
Empowerment, Voice, and Choice
Trauma disempowers us. It robs us of our voice and our ability to make aligned choices. Trauma-informed care implies empowering our clients in every way possible, encouraging them to speak and have their own voice, and providing them with a variety of options to choose from. I find this principle extremely powerful because, as practitioners in the trauma field, when we practice this principle, we allow our clients to reconnect with their own wisdom, their inner compass, their autonomy, and their inner power.
Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues
This principle is about eliminating any potential bias and developing sensitivity related to different aspects of other people’s identities, so that we do not re-traumatise the people we work with or cause them harm.
You can see now how serious it is when someone claims that they are “trauma-informed.” It implies a great deal of responsibility to hold a “trauma-informed” title. It also implies that we fully understand our scope of practice and what it allows and does not allow us to do.
The principles above also apply to different agencies, organisations, and even countries that want to implement “trauma-informed” care.
Trauma-Trained Care
There are some therapists and coaches who have recently been drawing our attention to the importance of recognising the difference between “trauma-informed” care and “trauma-trained” care. You might be someone who worked with a “trauma-informed” professional and got retraumatised or simply disappointed by the service they provided you with. This is a very common issue in the trauma field. Again, “trauma-informed” care does not necessarily imply that a person who provides it can help you with healing your trauma or the process of trauma recovery, even if that care is provided by a therapist.
A “trauma-trained” practitioner or coach who has received extensive training around the topic and understands trauma deeply can help you in your trauma recovery. This person possesses the deep skills and knowledge necessary to actively support you on your trauma recovery or healing journey.
You might never have even heard about trauma-trained coaches. Trauma coaching is a relatively new field that does not yet have clear standards. Many coaches learn through experience and continuous education about new developments in the trauma coaching field.
The first time I ever heard about trauma-trained coaching was through Linda Meredith’s work. I instantly connected with her message because it made so much sense that being simply trauma-informed is not enough when it comes to working with trauma survivors. Of course, this also depends on the type of work you provide. Sometimes, being properly trauma-informed is enough.
The term “trauma-trained” is not as well known as “trauma-informed,” but it does exist and makes sense to many therapists and coaches. Trauma-trained care is built on the foundation of trauma-informed care but implies much more depth in terms of knowledge, skills, and the ability to support trauma survivors. A practitioner or coach might not use the term “trauma-trained” on their website or in their title, but their educational background will tell you that they are.
A trauma-trained coach/practitioner:
Provides a safe and confidential space for you to talk about your feelings, thoughts, experiences, and challenges. They also support you in redeveloping internal and physical senses of safety.
Can help you understand your situation and provide you with tools and strategies to support you in the process of coping with and recovering from trauma.
Recognises the signs and symptoms of the type of trauma they are working with and understands the potential paths to recovery.
Educates you on the impact of trauma and normal responses to trauma, so you understand why you experience certain feelings and emotional states or engage in certain behaviours. They provide you with language and explanations for your experiences and help you understand that you are not alone in your experience.
Supports you in regaining power and control over past experiences that are still impacting your life in the present.
Teaches you the necessary skills and practices to help you decrease trauma symptoms (depression, anxiety, dissociation, toxic shame and guilt, flashbacks, and nightmares).
Can help you explore and express memories and feelings related to the trauma, identify your trauma triggers, and change your trauma responses over time.
I would also add here that a trauma-trained practitioner should understand the holistic nature of health and have the skills to support you with behavioural changes.
Trauma-focused care
This type of care is exclusive to therapists who directly work with trauma. Coaches cannot call themselves trauma-focused as well as organisations who do not work directly with PTSD and cPTSD.
To conclude,
I hope that by now you have more clarity around what it means to be “trauma-informed,” “trauma-focused,” and “trauma-trained” professional. I also hope that this knowledge is going to help you find the right practitioner to work with and receive appropriate training if you wish to pursue a career in the trauma field.
If you’re a trauma survivor, please exercise caution and common sense when looking for a therapist or coach to work with. Some therapists might have all the training in the world, but they might not possess the professional and/or personal qualities necessary to work with trauma survivors.
I will definitely write more about how to choose the right practitioner and how to reap the most benefits from working with them. There are many nuances you need to be aware of. Your mindset and your perceptions will influence that process a lot too, so it is necessary to talk about it.