Empower Organizations: Role of Trauma Informed Training for Staff

Trauma-informed training for staff is crucial in creating resilient and supportive environments within any organization, particularly those serving individuals and families. 

Trauma-informed care emphasizes understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of various traumas. 

Organizations can foster physical, psychological, and emotional safety by equipping staff with trauma-informed skills, ultimately promoting healing and resilience. This comprehensive approach ensures that individuals affected by trauma receive the support they need to recover and thrive. 

In this blog, we will explore the importance of trauma-informed training for staff, delve into the different types of traumas and their impacts, provide overview of how Functional Family Therapy addresses trauma within the family and discuss best practices for implementing trauma-informed care within various organizations. 

A Brief Overview of Trauma and Its Impact 

Trauma can be categorized into three main types: acute, chronic, and complex. 

• Acute trauma results from a single incident, such as an accident or natural disaster, that causes significant distress. 

• Chronic trauma involves repeated and prolonged exposure, such as domestic violence or bullying, which can lead to ongoing psychological harm. 

• Complex trauma is exposure to varied and multiple traumatic events, often of an invasive, interpersonal nature, such as childhood abuse or neglect. 

These different types of traumas can profoundly impact a person's behavior, emotional regulation, learning, and interpersonal relationships. 

Individuals who have experienced trauma may exhibit a range of responses, including anxiety, depression, aggression, and difficulties in forming bonds with others. Trauma can also affect cognitive functions, leading to difficulties in concentration and memory. 

What is Trauma-Informed Care? 

Trauma-informed care is a service delivery approach that emphasizes understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of all types of trauma. 

It seeks to ensure individuals' physical, psychological, and emotional safety, empowering them to define their needs and make choices about their care. Trauma-informed training for staff can have a positive impact on your organization's employees and those your organization serves. 

The six core principles of trauma-informed care include: 

1. Safety: Ensuring that individuals feel physically and emotionally safe in their environment. 
2. Trustworthiness and Transparency: Building trust through transparency and honesty in all interactions. 
3. Peer Support: Encouraging support from individuals with lived experiences of trauma. 
4. Collaboration and Mutuality: Promoting partnerships and shared decision-making. 
5. Empowerment, Voice, and Choice: Empowering individuals by valuing their voice and choices. 
6. Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues: Recognizing and addressing the impact of cultural, historical, and gender-related issues on trauma experiences​ 

By integrating these principles into everyday practices, organizations can make significant strides in promoting healing and resilience among those they serve (and within the staff providing those services). 

Trauma-Informed Training for Staff and Educators 

Tailored trauma-informed training for staff and educators is essential in understanding and responding to trauma. Such training enables staff to recognize the signs of trauma, respond appropriately, and create environments that support recovery and resilience 

For example, a child who has experienced chronic trauma may struggle with trust and exhibit challenging behaviors in a school setting. Educators with trauma-informed skills can create a supportive environment that helps the child feel safe and understood, facilitating better learning and social interactions. 

Functional Family Therapy Training and Trauma 

FFT LLC offers training and consultation to certify agencies enabling them to deliver Functional Family Therapy (FFT), an evidence-based program that effectively addresses trauma within the family context across various settings. 

Many of the youth involved in juvenile justice, child welfare, and mental health systems have experience with trauma. This trauma is often grounded in the context of the family and manifested in or influenced by unhealthy patterns of relating and behaving (many of which trigger the trauma).  FFT therapists understand the issues related to trauma across developmental levels.  FFT has a unique capacity to directly address trauma in a family context, both by directly addressing patterns that trigger or exacerbate trauma-based reactions and by facilitating the development of specific coping strategies for processing and dealing with trauma. Youth and family members are able to gain a deeper understanding of the impact of the trauma on individuals and the family, better understand each family member’s individual healing process, and feel empowered to provide support and advocacy.    

If you're interested in starting an FFT team or want your agency to serve young people and their families, find out how to become an FFT provider here. 

Online Trauma-Informed Training 

 If your organization cannot implement FFT's training for staff, other trauma informed training alternatives may be a great option. 

Online programs offer flexibility and accessibility, making it easier for organizations to equip their teams with the necessary skills. These programs can provide comprehensive training that includes understanding trauma, implementing trauma-informed care, specific strategies for working with individuals and families affected by trauma, and more​. 

For instance, FFT LLC's parent company, Empower Community Care, offers online, evidence-based training programs that cover a wide range of topics related to trauma-informed care. The course "Assessment and Treatment of Children with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder" provides information, tools, and resources for supporting children who have experienced trauma. 

Online training may be particularly beneficial for organizations with limited resources but can also be an excellent avenue for those seeking to provide continuous professional development opportunities​. 

These programs are designed to be interactive and engaging, allowing staff to learn at their own pace and apply their knowledge in practical settings. The flexibility of online training ensures that all staff can access the training they need, regardless of their location or schedule. 

Best Practices for Implementing Trauma-Informed Training 

After your organization completes any type of trauma-informed training for staff, implementing the learning is critical to ensuring new skills are applied within your organizational context. 

Implementing trauma-informed training for staff and evidence-based interventions like FFT involves several best practices: 

• Conduct Organizational Assessments: Identify needs and readiness for trauma-informed practices and programs through comprehensive assessments. Address pre-implementation challenges, secure adequate funding, and identify key stakeholders. 

• Demonstrate Trauma-Informed Leadership: Ensure strong governance and leadership committed to trauma-informed principles. Include individuals with lived experience of trauma in leadership and planning positions. 

• Practice Transparency and Trust: Maintain open communication with staff, partners, clients, and families regarding trauma-informed care commitment. Model trauma-informed principles at all levels of the organization and encourage accountability. 

• Engage Staff at All Levels: When implementing trauma-informed training for staff, foster a shared understanding and commitment by involving employees of all levels in the training process and the application of learning. 

• Offer Support Resources to Staff: Offer regular supervision and opportunities for self-care (such as PTO, extended lunch breaks, shorter work weeks, mental health days, or peer support groups). Ensure staff are trained to recognize and manage various traumas. 

• Integrate Principles into Policies and Procedures: Embed trauma-informed principles into the organization's mission, policies, and procedures. Develop policies on trauma, safety, confidentiality, and staff emotional well-being. 

• Conduct Ongoing Evaluation and Monitoring: Conduct baseline evaluations to determine readiness and set implementation priorities. Use ongoing evaluation to assess the impact and effectiveness of trauma-informed practices. Collect feedback from all stakeholders and use validated tools to measure progress. 

• Offer Continuous Trauma-Informed Training for Staff: Provide ongoing training in trauma theory, trauma-informed principles, and strategies for dealing with secondary traumatic stress. Prioritize diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) to create a sense of belonging. 

Download this guide to learn more about implementing evidence-based programs and how trauma-informed interventions like the Functional Family Therapy model can help your organization. 

Empower Your Team with Trauma-Informed Training for Staff Success 

Equipping organizations with trauma-informed skills is essential in creating supportive and resilient environments. By understanding the various impacts of trauma and employing targeted strategies such as trauma-informed family therapy, organizations can effectively address trauma, promote healing, and build a culture of empathy and understanding. 

FFT LLC brings Functional Family Therapy to over 40,000 families a year across the globe that are at risk of involvement in the justice and child welfare systems and/or gangs. FFT LLC provides clinical oversight and ongoing research to maintain positive outcomes and ensure all FFT providers adhere to evidence-based practice standards. 

Contact us for more information about our evidence-based youth and family counseling services.