The Dilution of Trauma Informed Practice Series

Have you noticed that just about anyone seems to describe themselves as trauma informed? Have you been confused about what it actually means to be trauma informed? Have you felt the cognitive dissonance between what people say and what they do? Then this 3-part series is for you.

“I’ve been working across education, children’s services, health and criminal justice for many years now with a mission to create environments that infuse trauma informed practice into their services. In the last couple of years, we have seen a huge dilution and overuse of the term ‘trauma informed’, so much so, that I don’t even like using it anymore. In this short 3-part series, I will explore how this has happened, the consequences and what we can do about it.”

Read Part One HERE.

“In Part Two, I will further develop these ideas considering the conditions that enable dilution, while also looking at performative language as a concept. Unpicking this theme of dilution around Trauma Informed Practice, has required two articles in order that we can also think about the consequences! Be reassured that Part Three will be looking at the ‘now what’ aspect of the journey because we need some solutions that don’t leave those of us who are passionate about this work, feeling doomed forever!”

Read Part Two HERE.

“Having identified the problem, we can now understand how this dilution can be driven by structural pressures such as resource constraints, compliance cultures, power imbalances and the inherent difficulty of measuring what matters most. Resistance and reclaiming the terminology demands more than individual good intentions or better training (although really good training is essential). It demands a sustained, multi-level response that addresses the conditions in which dilution flourishes.”

Read Part Three HERE.

I hope you have enjoyed reading these articles…