Trauma: It's what's inside that counts
by Cheryl Lovstrom, Central Regional Support Staff
I believe I will always remember my first attempt at a trip outside the house during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It was a beautiful, sunny day and my husband and I were heading into the city to do some much-needed grocery shopping. The sky was blue, the roads were clear, and I was getting tenser by the minute. My heart started to race and the knot in my stomach was growing bigger with every kilometer we travelled away from home. The event was a global pandemic, the effect was a full-on panic attack (thankfully, I was not in the driver’s seat). We turned the car around and headed back home.
I had what might be considered a "small t" trauma response. I was in no immediate danger but I had to avoid that trip at all costs. My body told me so. That experience is embedded deep in my memory.
Then there’s the “big T” trauma we all think about when that word is spoken. The really, really big event that happens directly to us that has the capacity to change our life forever. The devastating event that makes the news and is very, very scary. And yet, some people come through that one with no emotional scars whatsoever. They get sad, they may be very scared, but they deal with the situation and then they move on.
Here’s the thing. Trauma isn’t the something that happens to us, it’s what happens inside us because of that something (or because of a past something). Research has proven that trauma is a response to something that happens, not the event itself. Dr. Jody Carrington shared via Instagram, “I like to talk about trauma - what it is, how you "get it", and just what it takes to deal with it. It is such a misunderstood space that is often experienced, in silence, by so many of us.” This statement most definitely includes learners who come into their local CALP.
We have no way of knowing what someone has been through, or what their triggers might be. Unresolved trauma can show up in all kinds of ways, from shutting down in class, to getting annoyed and storming out, to actual physical pain. The response to trauma is very real, and how we address that trauma response can make a very big difference to the person experiencing it. That’s why CLN developed the Trauma Informed Practice in CALP training.
Trauma Informed Practice in CALP
Trauma Informed Practice in CALP is an approach that helps staff and volunteers build an understanding of trauma, and how it can affect us. Understanding trauma can help make your CALP a supportive, safe, and welcoming space.
Through this training, staff and volunteers will focus on three key areas of trauma-informed care:
• Types of trauma
• Understanding trauma reactions
• Ways to respond to a trauma reaction and how to create a safe environment to help the person re-focus
Participants will have an opportunity to apply their knowledge of trauma-informed practice throughout the training.
Join us on Thursdays, March 13, 20, and April 3 (optional session) to explore how you can become more trauma informed.
Register by Wednesday, March 5, 2025.