We need to move beyond “trauma informed care.” This should no longer be the minimum standard of what Master’s level therapists and social workers should be offering to clients. We need true, trauma informed therapy practices to be taught from our foundational graduate programs.
After over a decade working in non-profits and 6 years managing and supervising therapists, social workers, and bachelor-level case managers, here is what I hear when an interview candidate tells me they are “trauma informed.”
- You recognize that trauma shapes people’s experiences and connects with whatever is bringing them into your setting
- You offer person-centered care, taking a collaborative approach to treatment planning
- You probably have some understanding of motivational interviewing (if you’re a Master’s level clinician)
Unfortunately, what I’ve also seen are therapists and social workers who struggle to support clients through trauma work. And truthfully, if you can recognize that complex experiences of trauma have contributed to their presenting concern/s, you should know that you need something more than the “trauma informed care” principles available.
Minimum Standards for Incorporating Trauma Informed Therapy Into Graduate Education
I believe that if graduate programs are teaching that trauma can shape a person’s viewpoint and interactions with the world around them, we need to better prepare graduates to work with trauma.
These are the trauma foundations with which I’d love to see new social work and counseling graduates leave their programs:
- How trauma shapes a world view. Social Work Policy and Human Behavior in the Social Environment (HBSE) provided this foundation in my social work graduate program. We need to be specific about how systems of white supremacy shape our worldview and the mental health impacts.
- How to notice your own capacity. We spoke a lot about identifying counter-transference in my first year Social Work Foundations courses. We spoke less about how to use our clinical supervision to expand capacity (nor other capacity-building tools. Trauma Informed Therapy foundations offers an understanding of the neurobiology of trauma and basic Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) and somatic psychology tools.
- Understanding neurodivergence. When 24% of therapists identify as neurodivergent and later-in-life diagnoses of autism and ADHD in women are increasing, trauma informed curriculae must do better. Neurodivergent therapists and social workers need specific supports to be successful and feel competent.
- Clinical supervision. Many social workers move into management positions where they are supervising within a couple years of graduating. It is important for a trauma informed profession to better prepare us for advanced roles. This should include at least foundational knowledge and an understanding of where we can refresh and expand on these skills.
These will each be future blog posts, but for now I want to offer a reminder that I provide professional and clinical consultation to individuals, group practices, and agencies. Additionally, my upcoming Trauma 201: Moving Beyond Trauma Informed Care will offer some of this foundation in a 2-hour training.