How Trauma-Informed Care Transforms Lives

March is Social Work Month—a time to celebrate the incredible professionals who help individuals and communities navigate life’s challenges. One of the most important aspects of mental health care is trauma-informed practice, an approach that recognizes how deeply trauma can impact a person’s well-being.

At Jewish Family & Children’s Service (JFCS), our clinicians receive specialized training to ensure they provide compassionate, individualized care that truly meets each client’s needs.

What Is a Trauma-Informed Clinician

A trauma-informed clinician understands how past trauma shapes an individual’s life and behavior. At JFCS’ Michael R. Zent Healthcare Center, Integrated Health Clinician Erika Rivero, LMSW, CCPT-1, explains, “A trauma-informed clinician focuses on safety, trust and re-establishing power, making sure clients feel secure and supported on their healing journey.”

Olivia Roragen, LMSW, a behavioral health clinician at Michael R. Zent Healthcare Center, adds, “Trauma-informed care means keeping a client’s experiences at the forefront of clinical decisions. It’s about acknowledging past trauma while fostering healing.”

Why Trauma-Informed Care Matters

Trauma-informed care is essential because it respects and validates clients’ experiences. Rivero emphasizes, "It is important to recognize that trauma can manifest in many ways—emotionally, physically and psychologically—so treatment should be tailored to an individual’s needs."

Roragen notes, "In community mental health, many clients have experienced multiple traumas from birth onward. Honoring these experiences is key to addressing their thoughts, feelings and behaviors effectively."

Clinicians who adopt trauma-informed principles interact with clients in a way that prioritizes safety and collaboration. Rivero explains, "Being trauma-informed makes you sensitive to others’ experiences and behaviors. It’s important to collaborate with clients to create a safe, supportive environment.”

“With my clients, trauma-informed care means allowing them to have control over their sessions and their treatment,” Roragen says. “Trauma often causes clients to lose a sense of autonomy, so creating a space where they can regain power is essential."

Steps to Becoming Trauma-Informed

For clinicians looking to adopt this approach, training and supervision are essential. At JFCS, reflective and collaborative clinical supervision is a cornerstone of professional development. Roragen says, "I’ve been fortunate to attend trauma therapy trainings, such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and TF-CBT (Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), through JFCS. These trainings expand a clinician’s toolbox and help integrate trauma-focused interventions into practice.”

All JFCS healthcare centers ensure staff adopt trauma-informed principles by offering training and fostering open discussions on the subject.

"Through training opportunities and an open forum for discussion, healthcare centers such as Michael R. Zent promote trauma-informed principles," says Rivero. "JFCS leadership is particularly supportive in seeking additional training for staff."

Roragen adds, "Collaborating with other staff and hearing their experiences with traumatized populations can be eye-opening and a great opportunity for growth in community mental health organizations."

The Role of Social Workers in Trauma-Informed Care

As we celebrate Social Work Month, it’s important to recognize the essential role social workers play in trauma-informed care. "As social workers, we look at an individual in their environment and seek to impact their lives positively," Rivero explains. "We contribute at both the micro and macro levels—advocating for diverse individuals through legislation, policy changes, therapy, empowerment and promoting self-advocacy."

Roragen connects this work to the social work code of ethics, emphasizing, "Social workers honor clients' rights to self-determination, which perfectly aligns with trauma-informed care. We consider the systems clients exist in and the historical and current trauma they face."

Trauma-informed care isn’t a one-time training—it’s a lifelong commitment to learning, reflection and advocacy. Thanks to continued education and support, JFCS clinicians are equipped to provide compassionate, effective care that respects and honors our clients’ experiences.