TRAUMA- INFORMED CULTURAL COMPETENCY KAREN B. K. CHAN @KarenBKChan FluidExchange.org STORIES OF ADAPTATION Conscious / Unconscious Helpful / Unhelpful 1
TRAUMA- INFORMED LENS Ø How we understand trauma determines our approach to work & people Ø Trauma is unprocessed, overwhelming stress Ø Problem- solving survival adaptations vs. Pathology or deficiency Ø How do I understand this person? Vs. What is their diagnosis? Ø Your life makes sense Ø Trauma- informed vs. Trauma- specific PRACTICE! {UNDERSTANDING ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOUR} Ø In groups of 2 or 3, share with each other a behaviour or habit you have developed to cope with a stressor in your environment 2
TRAUMA Ø Not what, but how - > not single event Ø Fight, flight, dissociation Ø Life- defining event(s) Ø Can be continuous, and/or inter- generational Ø Imprint of trauma is animal brain, not thinking brain (van der Kolk, 2004) Ø Unprocessed, may be without memory or narrative HOW TRAUMA SHOWS UP Ø Can shape emotion awareness, affect regulation, attachment, executive functioning Ø Triggers: Reactivation of traumatic experience Ø Hypervigilance: Heightened/inaccurate detection of threat, miss important cues Ø Various diagnoses: ADHD, high- conflict personality, oppositional defiance, etc. Ø Medical, behavioural, pharmacological control. OR unmanaged/undiagnosed. Ø Mental and physical illness (e..g, depression, obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes) Ø Relationship breakdown Ø Substance use and dependence Ø Conflict with law Ø Coping strategies can increase vulnerability to further trauma (e.g., dissociation) Ø Link between childhood abuse to adult re- victimization 3
PRACTICE! {STRENGTH- BASED LENS} Think of one client or person you know who is likely a survivor of trauma. List: Ø 2-3 coping strategies they have developed Ø the function of each strategy (i.e., What did it allow the person to do?) Ø whether it was consciously developed, and whether it is now helpful or unhelpful. Coping Strategy Function of that strategy Helpful? Unhelpful? Crystal Meth on weekends Numbing pain, allows work M- F Both HOW TRAUMA SHOWS UP cont d Ø >75% of girls in juvenile justice system and >80% of incarcerated women survived sexual and/or physical abuse (Calhoun et al, 1993; Smith 1998) Ø 100% of men on death row survived sexual and/or physical abuse (Freedman, Hemenway, 2000) Ø 95% of boys who commit violence survived sexual and/or physical abuse (van der Kolk, 1998) Ø 30-60% of men who perpetrate IPV were abused or exposed to family violence as children (Baker & Stith, 2008; Hamby et al, 2010; PHAC, 2010) 4
Table 2. Risk factors for IPV perpetration Individual Risk Factors Low self-esteem Low academic achievement Young age Social isolation Low income Unemployment Alcohol/drug abuse Anger/hostility Insecurity/emotional dependence Depression Strict gender role beliefs Antisocial or borderline personality traits Aggressive behaviour or delinquency in adolescence Prior use of physical abuse or psychological aggression Prior experience of childhood physical or psychological abuse or neglect Exposure to IPV in childhood Experience of physical discipline in childhood Adapted from CDC, 2015 Relationship Risk Factors Financial stress Divorce/Separation Marital conflict Dominance/control by one partner Unhealthy family relationships Community Risk Factors Poverty and related factors Lack of institutions, relationships, and norms that influence community s social interactions Weak sanctions by community (e.g. neighbours unwilling to intervene if witness IPV) Societal Risk Factors Traditional gender norms Gender inequality INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES Ø indigenous people suffer 400% more likely to have experienced severe trauma (Haskell & Randall, 2009), 300% greater risk of suicide (Karmali et al, 2005) Ø interlocking impact of indigeneity, age, gender, sexuality, disability Ø harm to community as well as individuals: loss of language, traditions, connection to family, community, and home Ø mainstream denial of impact and responsibility for social conditions 5
CULTURAL COMPETENCY Ø Working across difference Ø Cultural Competency Vs. Cultural Sensitivity Ø The Zoo Ø Trauma informed practice is a kind of cultural competency PRACTICE! {MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISBLE} In your small group, share 2 dominant identities that are on your plaque. Race Ability Physical appearance Gender (man, woman) Geographical location Profession Class Sexual Orientation Education level Sex (male, female) Religion Gender normativity* 6
Privilege does not mean you re rich, a bad person, have had everything handed to you or have never had challenges or struggles. Privilege just means there are some challenges and struggles you won t experience because of who you are. ~Why Does Privilege Make People So Angry? @chescaleigh DECODED SPECIAL TOPIC: LGBTQ 7
LANGUAGE LGBTQ / LGBTTIQQ2SA Partner(s) Of a different sex Same- sex relationship / Cross- sex relationship Trans Trans woman / trans man / transgendered person / trans people Cis Assigned male at birth / assigned female at birth Gender non- normative / non- binary / non- conforming / fluid / creative They (singular) cis PRACTICE! {USING TRANS- POSITIVE LANGUAGE} Jane is a girl who acts like a boy. She is confused and has called herself Jack at school. Jane was assigned female at birth. She plays exclusively with boys, and wears a baseball cap on most days. Recently, she asked to be called Jack at school. Lyle did a transition to become a woman last year. He is a she now and was the father of the two children. Lily is a trans- woman who transitioned last year. She parents the two children. Katie and Rob live an alternative lifestyle. They let each other have affairs as long as they don t bring outsiders into the family home. Katie and Rob are polyamorous and each have other partners that they do not introduce to the children. 8
HYPERVIGILANCE Accumulated effects of oppression: Constant coming out and scrutiny You can never know systemic injustice always a possibility Power dynamics Sharing vigilance be the first to name it TRAUMA- INFORMED PRACTICE Ø Notice resilience and strength of adaptive behaviour Ø Be aware of fear and rage response and Window of Tolerance (Siegel, 2011) Ø Consider safety in session design Ø Notice relationship & intimacy breakdown patterns Ø Notice fragmented memories & meaning- making (dissociation) Ø Share vigilance 9
TRANS- POSITIVE PRACTICE Ø Use the pronoun and name they tell you Ø Don t out anyone Ø Genitals are generally not your business Ø Trans people are not responsible for your education Ø Trans people have different experiences QUESTIONS Ø Do I assume correctly that? Ø Is there anything you like me to know about? Ø How does being affect you in this dispute? Ø What pronoun(s) do you use? 10
MISSTEPS Ø Resilience Ø Expectation FIGHT (self) FREEZE FIGHT (others) WITHDRAW Ø Emotional honesty Ø Acknowledgement Ø Sorry vs. Thank you I m terrible I know I don t know I struggle I learn You re terrible THANK YOU! KAREN B. K. CHAN SLIDES, ETC: FLUIDEXCHANGE.ORG 11