Word
trauma-informed
Meanings
Designed with an understanding of trauma’s possible effects, aiming to create safety and avoid triggering distress.
Based on training or policies that help staff respond sensitively to people who may have experienced trauma.
Definition
Aware of how trauma can affect people and designed to avoid re-triggering distress while offering supportive care or services.
Trauma-informed describes an approach that recognizes many people may have experienced trauma and that this can shape their behavior, emotions, and trust. It prioritizes safety, choice, collaboration, and respect in the way support is offered. The goal is to reduce the risk of re-traumatization and to respond in a sensitive, empowering way across settings like healthcare, education, and social services.
Examples
- The school adopted a trauma-informed discipline policy to reduce escalations and keep students engaged.
- I appreciate how trauma-informed the intake process felt, with clear choices and no pressure to share details.
- Their trauma-informed training helped the team ask questions more carefully and listen without judgment.
- She built a trauma-informed classroom routine that emphasized predictability and respectful boundaries.
Common mistake
Learners sometimes write "trauma informing" instead of the adjective form "trauma-informed" before a noun (e.g., "trauma-informed care").
More at C1 level
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More adjectives
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