instructor: casey malsam wednesday, january 23€¦ · richness of the learning environment! ......

National Advocacy Leadership Center • 2018 National Advocacy Leadership Center • 2019 National Advocacy Leadership Center • 2019

Trauma-Informed Advocacy

Instructor: Casey Malsam

Wednesday, January 23

National Advocacy Leadership Center • 2018 National Advocacy Leadership Center • 2019

Introduction & Agenda

• Who am I and what do I do?

• Objectives:

– Developing a trauma-informed response

– Establishing physical and emotional safety with

student-survivors

– Utilizing culturally-competent, trauma-informed

communication skills

– Strategies for reducing re-victimization on college

campuses


Agreements and Intentions

• Similar to Shannon before me:

– Pay attention to triggers and take care of

yourself.

– Use I statements and speak for yourself

– Avoid generalizations (always/never)

– ASK Questions. I have some expertise, but

you all have lived experiences that are

different than mine. You voices add to the

richness of the learning environment!


Trauma-Informed Care and

Response


TRAUMA INFORMED CARE:

Societal

• Harmful traditions or campus culture

• Minimizing trauma’s impact (jokes, dismissiveness, etc.)

Institutional

• Avoidance/silencing of violence as an issue

• Policies that can keep victims quiet

Individual

• Person to person violence

• Individual person providing a resource


TRAUMA INFORMED CARE

1. an organizational structure and treatment

framework that involves understanding,

recognizing, and responding to the effects

of all types of trauma.

2. It emphasizes physical, psychological, and

emotional safety.

3. It helps survivors rebuild a sense of control

and empowerment.


The Role of the Advocate

• Provide emotional support

• Help the survivor regain control

• Help identify the survivor’s own needs and preferred outcomes

• Discover strengths!

• Provide information about the system

• Help explore all options and possible consequences

• Assist survivor in developing strategies and formulating clear requests for action


Empower & Support

Empower verb (used with object)1.to give power or authority to; authorize, especially by legal or official means 2.to enable or permit

Support verb (used with object) 1. to bear or hold up; 2. to sustain or withstand without giving way; 3. to undergo or endure, especially with patience or submission; tolerate. 4. to sustain (a person, the mind, spirits, courage, etc.) under trial or affliction 5. to maintain (a person, family, establishment, institution, etc.) by supplying with things necessary to existence; provide for 6. to uphold (a person, cause, policy, etc.) by aid, countenance, one's vote, etc.; back; second.

make (someone) stronger and more confident, especially in controlling their life and claiming their rights.


The 4 R’s of Trauma

Informed Care Realize the widespread impact

of trauma and understand

potential paths for recovery

Recognize signs and symptoms in

people involved with trauma

Respond with empathy

Actively avoid Re-traumatizing


Realize the Impact

This starts with the advocate doing their own

work.

• This course is a good start.

• Books about different aspects of trauma.

• Understand systems.

• Understand trauma.


Recognize Signs and

Symptoms

You all have a great foundation for this from

Shannon’s talk earlier today.

Knowing how trauma shows up plays a big role

in recognizing symptoms.


Respond with Empathy


Actively Avoid

Re-traumatizing

This includes working to remove

barriers for survivors. In policies, in

systems, in educational programming.

This also includes paying attention to

Vicarious Trauma and how it impacts your ability to respond with empathy.


Vicarious Trauma

happens when we accumulate

and carry the stories of

trauma—including images,

sounds, and resonant details—

we have heard, which then

come to inform our worldview.


Signs to look for

Exhaustion/ Physical

Constantly tired, even after rest

Physical body tension

Difficulty falling asleep

Illness at times of rest

Thought Pattern

Difficulty finding new

solutions

Jumping to conclusions/

ridged thinking

Minimizing suffering of

others

Intrusive thoughts or

imagery

Relationship Changes

No personal/ professional separation

Hypervigilant/ concerned

about safety for those you care

about

Isolating self

Behavior Shifts

Absenteeism/attrition

Avoidance of work/relationships/responsib

ilities

Escapism

Emotion Shift

Hyper-sensitive

Feeling disconnected from emotion

Guilt for having more

resources than others

Feeling like you will never be able to do

enough


Example in Practice

1. We know the dentist isn’t a

pleasant experience for most of us.

2. It can often lead to extreme

anxiety for people, especially

trauma survivors.

3. It is vulnerable to sit, laid back, with

bright lights in your face, and a

strangers hands in your mouth

making you unable to speak.

4. Especially if you don’t know what is

happening.

A Trauma informed dentist might:

1. Might have a dentist specific

anxiety assessment as pre-

paperwork to inform their work with

their patient.

2. Talk you through every step. “I am

going to sit your seat back now. It

will go down quite far, but you

won’t fall over.”

3. Ask before each new experience.

“I am going to put this drain in your

mouth now to remove excess

water. Are you ready?”


Culturally Competent Advocacy &

Communication


Barriers To Service

• There are many reasons that survivors don’t

choose to seek out services.

• An advocate needs to work to understand

these barriers to understand how it impacts

the survivor.

POLL: What are some identity based barriers survivors you know have faced?


Do your own work

Don’t rely on the survivor to explain their identities to you


Do Your Work.


Unconditional Positive

Regard • Carl Rogers & Person Centered Therapy

• It means valuing the person as doing their

best to move forward in their life constructively

and respecting the person’s right to self-

determine – no matter what they choose.

• In other words- each person is the expert of

their own experience.

• We as advocates have to get out of our own

way.


Things to think about

• Do you have translation services available? Sign

language interpreters?

• Is your building accessible? Do you have gender

neutral bathrooms?

• Is there limitations to when your services are available?

Are they only in person?

• Are all your advocates white, cis, hetro women?

• Have you conducted a visual audit of your space? Are

all the pictures of white folks? of women?

• What identities are explicit in your materials?


Things to think about


Reducing Re-victimization


Who Knows?


Establishing Physical and Emotional

Safety


Physical Safety

• Lindy Aldrich will be talking about Safety

Planning and Protection Orders in a couple

weeks.

• So for now I will focus on the establishing

emotional safety with survivors


In this section:

• General tips for advocates in establishing

safety.

• 3 examples of meeting survivors needs

– In individual sessions

– In solitude

– In programming


Establishing Emotional

Safety

It starts with rapport and connection.

You work together with the survivor to find

out what will work for them.

Let them share what is salient for them.

You need less details than you think you do.


O.A.R.S

Open Ended Questions No one word or yes/no

Questions used to guide the

session

Demonstrates curiosity and

genuine interest

Affirmations Builds hope and strengthens

connection

Identifies strength or effort of

the survivor

Must be authentic and honest

Reflections Give words to something they

have a hard time expressing

Conveys understanding

Allows for you to wonder

Summary Link statements together

Clarify complex information

Demonstrate you are listening

Summarize strengths


Mindfulness

• Pay Attention

• To Right Now

• On Purpose

• Without Judgment


Sensory Techniques

Sight: What do you see in the room?

Taste: Drink something cold or hot, eat something sweet or

sour, chew gum

Touch: Varying textures, such as beads, chain, blanket,

corduroy clothes, pets (can actually calm and lower

anxiety), a safe person w/ permission

Smell: Flowers, aromatherapy, sharp smells (certain foods),

laundry detergent, candles, lotions, bubble bath (added

bonus of touch)

Hear: Safe person’s voice, music, loud noise, car horn,

whistle, dog bark


Types of Coping Skills

The goals of coping skills is to help manage the stress for a minimal disruption in daily functioning.

Types of coping skills: 1. Comfort Techniques

– Help feel better during times of stress

– for use when you are safe and able to nurture self

2. Distracting Techniques – Manage stress and return to a normal routine as soon as

possible

– for times when you need to “put away” the stress


Group Brainstorm:

What are some of the techniques

you use for comfort when you are

stressed?

Comfort Techniques

Listen to music

Curl under a blanket

Cuddle with pet

Take a bath

Light candles or incense

Use art, collaging, journaling, other creative outlets

Call a support person and talk about what is happening

Engage in spiritual practice

Engage in safe comfort rituals from childhood

Drink hot tea, chocolate

Rock in rocking chair

Cry

Hug a stuffed animal

Play with play-doh

Go to safe place (actually or in mind)


Group Brainstorm:

What are some of the

techniques you use for

distraction when you are

stressed?

Distracting Techniques

Watch TV

Watch a movie

Read a book

Exercise

Take a walk

Clean

Make a list of things to

do

Window shop

Call a support person

and talk about other

things

Use Sensory

Techniques, esp.

touch and taste

Play cards, checkers,

computer games

Engage in normal

routine


Make a Grounding Tool Box

Write down all techniques and make copies of list, put in bag, wallet, car, bedroom. (where you might need it)

Integrate sensory techniques into lists

Gather all items needed to carry out each list at home

Use a box or basket to keep all items together

List journaling or other activities you do not have to remember


Meet the survivor where

they are Not all survivors will be ready to come in and talk one on one.


Programming for Healing • Massive program with over

300 survivors in attendance.

• Explicit in marketing that the event was for survivors.

• In collaboration with

Diversity Offices to hold their own healing spaces.

• Students keep asking when

we are doing it again.


What are some of your

“outside the box”

techniques to meet

survivors where they are?


References

• www.traumainformedcareproject.org

• (2014). SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach.

• http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/learn/vicarious-

trauma/identifying-vicarious-trauma/signs-vicarious-trauma

• Hollins, C., & Govan, I. (2015). Diversity, equity, and inclusion:

Strategies for facilitating conversations on race.

• Rowman & Littlefield.Rosengren, D. B. (2017). Building

motivational interviewing skills: A practitioner workbook. Guilford

Publications.

http://www.traumainformedcareproject.org/

http://www.joyfulheartfoundation.org/learn/vicarious-trauma/identifying-vicarious-trauma/signs-vicarious-trauma













Thank you!

Contact Information:

Casey Malsam

[email protected]

(970)491-6384

mailto:[email protected]

instructor: casey malsam wednesday, january 23€¦ · richness of the learning environment! ......

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