While the understanding of the role of trauma in some aspects of social work is increasing, and with that, the training offered and policies changed, not everyone sees this as a positive development. Others do welcome the change in principle, but are disappointed or frustrated with the practice, or worried about the feasibility. That is why I want to address some of the objections that are raised against trauma-informed practice in social work.
Continue reading “The Pushback Against a Trauma Focus in Social Work”Tag: #recognisingtrauma
If Only We Could Prevent Trauma…
This tends to be said rhetorically. It is taken as a given that we can’t. Often trauma is seen as something inevitable, inescapable, and to be lived with. Similarly, too often, trauma awareness or trauma-informed practice is seen as at best recognising and having understanding for the trauma experienced by someone. While I acknowledge that trauma cannot be fully eradicated (people will die, accidents and disasters will happen and people will be affected by that) my belief is that a very large proportion of trauma can be prevented, just not overnight.
Continue reading “If Only We Could Prevent Trauma…”(Why) Is There More Trauma Now?
The question ‘why is there suddenly more trauma?’ is often heard. With everything I know about trauma, which by now is quite a lot, I have long had a strong sense that there isn’t actually more trauma. However, I was not quite able to articulate clearly why I felt that, beyond believing we are starting to recognise it more. As I read Rutger Bregman’s book ‘Utopia for Realists’, a lot is suddenly falling into place. He does not articulate the situation related to trauma, but what he describes gives me language for my long-held view.
Continue reading “(Why) Is There More Trauma Now?”Start Where You Are
I happened to pick up ‘The Art of Happiness: A handbook for living’ and it brought me some insights and links that are surprisingly closely connected to my previous blog. So, I wanted to share this with you. The book was written in 1998 by psychiatrist Howard C. Cutler, based on his conversations with His Holiness the Dalai Lama.
Continue reading “Start Where You Are”It’s About the Response…
You may have heard it said that trauma is not caused by what happened, but by how we respond to what happens, internally. This is true, but I think it is incomplete. It panders to the desire to put something incredibly complex into a few words or a short sentence. The shortest way I can think of to formulate what is really meant, is as follows:
Continue reading “It’s About the Response…”Children Need More Than a Loving Family
There is much mention of children’s need for a loving family on social media and in advocacy campaigns. Particularly from those working in child protection reform. There is no doubt that children absolutely do need this. However, as someone who grew up in a loving family, I need to tell you that that is not enough.
Continue reading “Children Need More Than a Loving Family”Getting Started: First Step
Aside from spreading awareness about the impact of trauma and how to get beyond it, through this website and the book I am working on, I also want to apply the knowledge to set real changes in motion. I am delighted that over the past year, I have gone from a powerful but vague sense of how to make a major difference in the world through addressing trauma to a very concrete plan for how I can do something about that in a practical sense. As it turns out, it lies at the heart of the work I have been doing for the past 18 years. Its outline still sounds grandiose and theoretical: Radical child protection reform that goes beyond addressing symptoms and kicking the can down the road. But I have found a simple, practical starting point.
Continue reading “Getting Started: First Step”Discovering the Road to Peace
While out on a walk, letting my mind drift, things started to connect in my brain. What is happening in the world at the moment, my professional knowledge and my personal experiences came together to form what seems like a coherent answer to an apparently unanswerable question.
Continue reading “Discovering the Road to Peace”