Why is a trauma Informed Lens Important?
What does "trauma-informed" mean?
Being trauma-informed means understanding that trauma isn't rare — it's universal to some degree — and it fundamentally changes how someone sees the world, processes information, and relates to others.
A trauma-informed approach assumes that trauma may be a factor for everyone (even if it’s not visible) and prioritizes safety, empowerment, and trust in every interaction.
Key principles of trauma-informed care:
Safety (physical, emotional, energetic)
Trust and transparency
Empowerment, voice, and choice
Peer support
Cultural, historical, and gender sensitivity
Collaboration — not authority over someone
It's NOT about asking someone to relive trauma — it's about creating conditions that don’t accidentally re-traumatize them.
How Trauma-Informed Care Helps
From a Practitioner’s Side
They meet the patient where they are, without pushing, forcing, or pathologizing normal survival responses (like emotional shutdowns or anxiety spikes).
They create containers of safety, like explaining what will happen before it happens, getting permission often, checking in about comfort.
They normalize that healing isn’t linear, and that emotional reactions aren't "bad" or "wrong."
They listen deeply and watch for cues of overwhelm or shutdown to pivot their approach if needed.
In concussion recovery, this is CRUCIAL because your nervous system is already tender. A trauma-informed practitioner honors that tenderness.
From a Patient’s Side
You feel respected, heard, and in control of your healing journey.
You feel safe enough to express your needs, limits, fears, or confusions without judgment.
You’re given choices and co-creation, not just orders or rigid protocols.
You're allowed to be complex (ex: struggling and doing great in different areas).
You get to rebuild trust with your own body and brain at your pace.
In concussion recovery, it protects you from "pushing" into retraumatization and gives your healing nervous system the calm space it actually needs.
For Patients: Being Trauma-Informed Toward Yourself
Some gentle, powerful things to keep in mind during your recovery:
Your symptoms are not character flaws (fatigue, emotionality, brain fog — they're communication from your body, not failure).
Healing takes the time it takes — and patience with yourself is active medicine, not passive waiting.
Small progress counts — and often needs to be celebrated even when it feels invisible.
Self-kindness softens nervous system tension — judgment ramps it up.
The nervous system doesn’t speak English — it speaks sensation, energy, pace.
(Listen for those, not just the words.)
Self-talk examples from a trauma-informed lens:
"I'm allowed to take breaks without explaining why."
"My body is protecting me the best way it knows how."
"My frustration is valid and I can still be proud of myself.”
