Trauma-Informed Approaches and the Power of Connection

DC 2015 Annual Conference on Trauma

Presented by: Mary Blake, Public Health AdvisorSAMHSA/CMHS

Lived Experience: Trauma Healing and Recovery

There is no greater agony than bearing an

untold story inside you.

– Maya Angelou

The Central Role of Trauma

School Problems, Incarceration

Homelessness, Relationship & Job Problems

Substance Abuse, Parenting Problems

Violence and Trauma

Mental Health ProblemsSuicide

PTSDDepressionSchizophrenia

The Impact of Trauma

• Trauma is cumulative• Trauma affects the developing brain• Trauma increases likelihood of health risk

behaviors (smoking, drinking, overeating) as means of coping

• Trauma is directly related to mental health symptoms, substance abuse, chronic physical illness, early mortality

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Trauma impacts our relationships and connections to ourselves and others: spiritually, socially, physically…

…Trauma often creates profound feelings of shame and isolation, and can alter our sense of self and relationship

to the world around us.

The experience of abuse and neglect often fosters a lack of safety or trust…

…Violence raises inherently spiritual questions, such as “why me?

Traumatic Experience and Connection

Rarely can a response make

something better, because what makes

something better is connection.

– Dr. Brene’ Brown

SAMHSA CONCEPT OF TRAUMA RELEASED OCTOBER 2014

Available for download at:http://store.samhsa.gov/product/SMA14-4884

SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma“The 3 Es”

Individual trauma results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an

individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the

individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being.

From SAMHSA’s Concept Paper

A Trauma-Informed Approach (Four R’s)

A trauma-informed program, organization, or system:

From SAMHSA’s Concept Paper

Key Principles of a Trauma-Informed Approach

People can't be just tied together.

They have to connect.

Otherwise, they'll find themselves

bound hand and foot.

― Ai Yazawa

When We Become Our Illness, We Lose Our Humanity

Postcards “To” The Edge

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The ache for home lives in all of us, the safe

place where we can go as we are and not be

questioned.

– Maya Angelou

Contact Info

Mary Blake, C.R.E, I.T.E

Public Health Advisor

SAMHSA/CMHS

Tel: 240-276-1747

E-mail: mary.blake@samhsa.hhs.gov