For those of us who are dealing with individuals who have been impacted by trauma we are constantly confronted with the realities of their past and its impact on their present lives. Sometimes their affect, emotions and corresponding behaviors can be questionable. However, for those who are familiar with the impact of trauma, we understand why they might be acting, in many cases, as viewed societally inappropriate.
In their journey towards health and recovery there needs to be a great deal of sensitivity to what the process will be like. I was recently speaking with one of our staff members who works with our students in some of their most difficult moments. His description was compelling as to our approach. He used the idea of taking the most simple and basic progress towards more healthy attitudes and behaviors and using that progress as a catalyst to growth towards restoration. In other words, we become intensely focused at using the slightest progress towards their next growth steps towards emotional and relational health.
Often, in the normal course of the lives of those dealing with past trauma there has been manipulation, abuse, rejection, neglect and emotional harm. As they respond to those issues they can be seen through a lens of judgement and consequently handled punitively. This kind of response leads to isolation, a spiral of failure and more stress and trauma.
It is why the most essential response to trauma and its consequences is an intense and intentional focus towards restoration. Most individuals who have struggled in such intense situations are used to punitive measures taken against them. Often those measures reinforce the labels that have been placed on them which drives them further into their spiral of failure and poor decisions.
This basic approach is one of the reasons that so many of our systems create more trauma. A model of punitive approaches has been proven to not be able to change behavior in any positive direction. That typically creates the opposite and creates responses of apathy, hopelessness and more destructive behavior.
That is why restoration needs to be integrated into our system’s values where these individuals are being treated or even incarcerated. Our approaches should be consumed with a desire to restore these individuals to emotional and relational health. Taking the small steps of growth and turning them into new momentum for positive change needs to be affirmed, encouraged and set on a trajectory that will shape a novel set of responses to stress and adversity. Our therapeutic milieu needs to be driven by strategies and approaches that reinforce the necessary healing and restoration that will change the course of one’s life.
For some, restoration is a difficult concept. If there has been life dysfunction in their historical narrative they need a whole new creation of what restoration looks like. It may have to be a re-creation of healthy values and personhood to help redefine their life direction. Being trauma-informed in our approach to trauma-impacted individuals must include their restoration, re-creation and healing as a model of care. It is why we must continue to educate our systems of care in techniques that will facilitate a true model of restoration for those in process.
Gerry Vassar
President/CEO
