Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice: Practice Considerations and Challenges

Adult survivors of childhood trauma are an especially challenging group of clients, given the long-term effects of the victimization and the present day difficulties these individuals face. In this article, trauma-informed practice is explained, incorporating the most recent theoretical and empirical literature. The purpose is to educate and provide support to clinicians who encounter survivors of childhood trauma in a range of settings that are particularly likely to serve this population like addictions, mental health, forensics/corrections, and child welfare. The social worker neither ignores nor dwells exclusively on the past trauma. Rather, trauma-informed practitioners are sensitive to the ways in which the client’s current difficulties can be understood in the context of the past trauma. Further, they validate and normalize the client’s experiences. Trauma-informed practice requires the practitioner to understand how the working alliance, itself, can be used to address the long-term effects of the trauma. Emphasis is placed on helping survivors understand how their past influences the present and on empowering them to manage their present lives more effectively, using core skills of social work practice.