Applying Trauma- and Violence-Informed Care to Speech-Language Pathology Practice Across the Lifespan
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abstract
The high prevalence of trauma world-wide is such that speech-language pathologists are likely to support clients across the lifespan with experiences of trauma, such as abuse, neglect, intergenerational and racial trauma, and exposure to structural and systemic violence. Trauma can affect peoples’ neurobiology and can also impact cognitive, social, and language development and compromise over-all communication competence. Trauma-and-violence informed approaches must be built upon a foundational knowledge of the impact of trauma on people’s lives: from neurobiology and development, to health, communication, and behavior. It is therefore evident that consideration of trauma must be built into training programs, care provision, organizational policies, and programs. To provide trauma- and violence-informed care (TVIC), speech-language pathologists must individually and collectively engage in the process of critical reflection to gain insight into their personal and cultural assumptions and values, and to affect change in practice. To this end, the authors draw from available literature as well as their clinical, academic and individual experiences to illustrate how TVIC can shape speech-language pathologists’ lens with respect to 1. The social determinants of health and access to services, 2. Behaviors that challenge, and 3. Social communication, social cognition, and emotional regulation. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health System Administration’s (SAMHSA) four assumptions and six principles of trauma-informed care are applied to illustrate how TVIC can be incorporated into practice.
