Trauma-Informed Counselling
Trauma-informed counselling is an approach that recognizes the profound impact trauma can have on an individual’s emotional, mental, physical, and relational well-being. It shifts the focus from asking, "What's wrong with you?" to "What happened to you?" This compassionate perspective fosters understanding, reduces stigma, and creates a safe and supportive environment for healing.
In trauma-informed counselling, the therapeutic process is grounded in principles such as safety, trust, collaboration, and empowerment. Counsellors aim to avoid re-traumatization by tailoring interventions to the unique needs of each client, respecting their autonomy, and honoring their lived experiences. This approach also emphasizes the client’s strengths and resilience, helping them build coping skills, process their experiences, and regain a sense of control and self-worth.
Trauma-informed counselling not only addresses the effects of trauma but also provides clients with the tools and support to heal and thrive, fostering lasting emotional and relational growth.
Trauma-Informed Care
The main principles of trauma-informed counseling are designed to create a safe, supportive, and empowering environment for individuals who have experienced trauma. These principles include:
1. Safety: Ensuring that the physical and emotional environment feels secure and trustworthy for clients, fostering a sense of stability and comfort.
2. Trustworthiness and Transparency: Building trust through clear communication, consistency, and transparency in policies, practices, and decision-making.
3. Collaboration and Mutuality: Emphasizing partnership between counselor and client, valuing the client’s input and shared decision-making in the therapeutic process.
4. Empowerment, Voice, and Choice: Promoting client autonomy by recognizing their strengths, encouraging self-advocacy, and respecting their choices in the healing journey.
5. Cultural, Historical, and Gender Awareness: Acknowledging and addressing the impact of systemic inequities, cultural differences, and historical trauma on individuals' experiences and healing processes.
6. Resilience and Strength-Based Approach: Focusing on the client's inherent strengths and capacity for recovery, helping them build resilience and develop skills to navigate future challenges.
These principles ensure that the counseling process is sensitive to the effects of trauma and supports the client’s well-being and growth.
Rebecca Dunlop Counselling Services
Phone: 855-686-7505
Email: RDCounselling@gmail.com
