TIC Thoughts

This week I participated in two events that centered around trauma informed care. Several things were stood out to me during these events and while I am still processing I wanted to put them out there. Plus, it helps me to reach my goal of blogging at least twice per month this year. Admittingly, this blog post won't be the same as my others. Here I am just putting thoughts, ideas, and things that really stopped and made me think. 

• "Racial oppression is a traumatic form of interpersonal violence which can lacerate the spirit, scar the soul, and puncture the psyche". - Dr. Kenneth Hardy
• We cannot build authentic rapport without addressing historical trauma. 
• Protective space and protective relationships are the foundation of trauma informed practice and supports the brain's neuroplasticity in healing. 
• Trauma is a public health problem. 
• Safety cannot exist without incorporating culture. 
• Trauma involves a loss of power and control. 
• "Nothing for us without us"; we must include those who are affected in meaningful ways. This is completely aligned with TIC principles. 
• We are harmed in connection- we can only heal in connection. 
• Evidence based practices must be implemented within the context of the community. 
• Keeping the work of trauma informed care moving forward requires collaborations which is a from of community care. 
• Sense of belonging is both necessary for those being served and the professionals who are part of the service. 
• To help foster belonging, take time to address when there is a breakdown in safety or a violation of norms. 
• Equity and culture are embedded in being trauma informed. 
• When we practice TIC everyone benefits. We need to have a common language and framework. 
• Transforming systems is foundational to healing- community collaborations are needed to moving the work forward. 
• Healing is more than resilience. 

Some questions I am still pondering:

• How do I foster a sense of belonging in the groups I work with?
• How do we give voice and choice to those we are working with in a meaningful way?
• How am I working to address historical traumas?

Self-care: Practice or Play

For the past year or so, I have observed more and more conversation about self-care from both social workers and others. I have read posts on social media with friends and colleagues discussing what they are doing for self-care. I even started a Facebook group with the intentions of encouraging people to engage in more self-care.

One post really got me thinking. A friend discussed their plans for having a spa day and getting their nails done. My initial thought was “Oh good for her”, but as I thought more about the post, I had to ask myself is that practicing or is that playing? There is an interesting dichotomy between practicing and playing, but we do not discuss it much when we talk about self-care.

So, what is the difference?

Practicing requires word and dedication. One does not become good at anything by doing it every so often. If I am trying to learn to play the piano, I would not be very good if I just worked at it once a week.

The word play is defined as to “engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose”. The word itself probably brings up images of something enjoyable that you may have done as a child or you do now. Adults do not play all the time; that is the quintessential hallmark of being an adult. I can play a board game, but no one probably say I am practicing a board game. I can also play a sport, but if I wanted to be taken seriously it would be more appropriate for me to practice that sport.

Are you practicing or are you playing self-care?

Practicing and playing are both important and social workers need to do both. However, playing self-care (i.e., getting nails done, drinking a glass of wine, or eating some fine chocolates) is not enough. We also need to develop practices of self-care. We need to attend to our emotional, spiritual, mental, and physical health. Each person’s path to self-care is different, but I encourage you to consider how to move from playing with self-care to developing more practices of self-care.

As you consider this, you begin to realize it is strongly related to resilience. Six psychosocial factors have been found to promote resilience and these include optimism, cognitive flexibility, active coping skills, maintaining a supportive social network, attending to one’s physical well-being, and embracing a moral compass (as cited by Nugent, Sumner, & Amstadter, 2014). These factors have been studied in individuals who have experienced resilience after a trauma, however, I contend that as social workers are living through a global pandemic with the burden of trying to care for a society that is plagued with injustices. If we have not experienced our own trauma, we need to be acutely aware of secondary traumatic stress. 

Play with your self-care. Find relaxation and enjoyment, but don't forget to practice self-care too.