What Does “Trauma-Informed” Mean?

“Trauma-informed” has become a popular term lately, but what does it actually mean? As someone who offers trauma-informed sessions, I believe it's essential to understand its significance. I have undergone training in Compassionate Inquiry, a psychotherapeutic approach developed by Dr. Gabor Maté, and I am currently mentored by him.

In essence, trauma-informed refers to an approach that recognises the points in our lives where coping mechanisms were developed in response to specific situations. Here, "trauma" is defined as the internal response, rather than the external event itself.

For example, if something happened to me and I developed a coping mechanism that changed who I truly was, keeping me from expressing my authentic self, that is what we would consider trauma in this context. It's important to note that trauma is primarily about what happens within an individual as a result of difficult or hurtful events, rather than the events themselves. As Dr. Gabor Maté puts it, "Trauma is not what happens to you; but what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you."

Let me share an example of how trauma-informed work can be applied. I had a client who possessed extensive knowledge, was well-trained, and spoke eloquently. However, she experienced a crisis of self-doubt whenever someone invited her to give a workshop or speak publicly.

Upon deeper exploration, we discovered that there was a moment during her childhood when she was around 7 years old. She was participating in a conversation at the family dinner table, and her father said, "What do you know about that?" This happened repeatedly. The client had come to believe her parent's words over her own authentic truth, as children often do, as we naturally want to trust that our caregivers are right. Consequently, a part of my client remained stuck at the age of 7, thinking she didn't know anything and questioning her ability to lead a workshop or speak publicly.

Instead of solely focusing on boosting her confidence, we took a trauma-informed approach to uncover the roots of this behavior. We delved into the experiences of that 7-year-old part of her, acknowledging its role in her life. While it may have served her well as a child, it was now holding her back as an adult. By engaging in a process of rehabilitation and reintegration of this part, we could help my client overcome these limitations.

I have found that practices such as meditation and yoga nidra are immensely beneficial in this journey. They assist us in identifying with our authentic selves rather than identifying solely with our wounded parts.

This is what I refer to as Trauma-Informed Spiritual Mentoring. With my training in Compassionate Inquiry under Dr. Gabor Maté, along with over a decade of experience in Spiritual Psychology, Meditation, and Mindfulness, I offer a powerful combination of approaches.

If you would like to learn more about my mentoring style and working with me, please feel free to make an enquiry for a free consultation.

by Belinda Matwali for Listen Up Therapy