Webinar recap: how plain language can support your trauma-informed practice

This Clear Language Lab webinar took place on November 13, 2020. Check out the notes below or access the webinar recording.

We don’t always know who has experienced trauma.

• Almost ⅔ of people have experienced an Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE). 

• More than 3 out of 5 people have experienced three or more ACEs.

Central to the experience of trauma is helplessness, isolation and the loss of power and control. When we are communicating, how can we account for the fact that so many people have had these experiences?

Definitions: what are we talking about?

Plain language:

Wording, structure and design that is so clear that the intended reader can easily find what they need, understand what they find, and use that information.

-International Plain Language Federation

Trauma:

• Generally involves threats to life or bodily integrity, or a close personal encounter with violence or death

• Often leads to fear, helplessness, loss of control, inability to take action

• When action is not possible, the human system of self-defense that gives us control, connection, and meaning becomes overwhelmed and disorganized.

• An individual’s subjective experience determines whether an event is or is not traumatic (we don't get to decide for someone else about how they experienced an event)

General notes

Trauma’s continuum of complexity:

• Early onset vs. adult onset

• Single incident vs. multiple or ongoing (chronic)

• Interpersonal vs. External

• Level of invasiveness, stigma, vulnerability

When experiencing trauma:

• Messages take longer to get to the Rational Brain - the place where planning and processing take place

• The Emotional Brain is in primary control - the place that triggers the rest of the body to go into action to save our life

Trauma + memory

Declarative “explicit” memory

• Grounded in language

• Brain automatically categorizes every new experience and integrates it into existing knowledge base

• Time consuming

• Does not lend itself to emergency situations where immediate response is necessary

Non-declarative “implicit” memory

• Memory of habits, skills, conditional emotional responses

• Not language based

• Kids may have nonverbal memories long before verbal ones (sensations, emotions, images)

Post-traumatic stress can show up in different ways:

• Intrusion: the traumatic event is persistently re-experienced (nightmares, flashbacks, etc.)

• Avoidance: efforts to avoid internal and external reminders of the event

• Negative cognition and mood (including): 

  • Inability to recall key features of trauma

  • Inappropriate blame of self or others

  • Feeling isolated from others

• Hyperarousal (including):

  • Irritability and angry outbursts

  • Risky or destructive behavior

  • Heightened startle response

Trauma can disrupt our ability to:

• Think

• Remember

• Control emotions

• Connect 

• Trust

• Ask for help

• Be vulnerable with someone

• Believe someone else cares

And so much more…

What makes us feel safe?

• Physical space (valued, comforting, clear exit)

• Non-verbals (mirroring)

• Calm

• Tone

• Words - all forms of communication

• Knowing we are seen/heard

• Predictability & consistency

• Power

• Relationship

What restores a sense of power?

• Information

• Honesty

• Real choice

• Accomplishment

• Partnership

• Relationship

Core relationship qualities:

• Warmth

• Empathy

• Authenticity/Genuineness

• Unconditional positive regard

• Respect

• Focus on strengths and survivorship

Making our documents clear, useful, affirming + trauma-informed

The goals of trauma recovery are the restoration of safety, power and connection.

• Language can harm - cause distress, fear, isolation

• When we feel unsafe, our bodies will respond

• Our systems are oppressive - we have to work to be actively anti-oppressive

• We often create conditions of stress and then blame people for their biological responses to that stress

We can change this!

Creating trauma-informed communications

• Makes information easy to find, understand and use

• Creates a safe “space”

• Actively avoids power differentials

• Prioritizes relationship-building

• Indicates an actual trauma-informed practice (not just saying it's trauma-informed, but then having practices presenting otherwise)

  
  

Resources:

• Trauma-Informed Design Resources

• Blackillustrations.com

• Canva

• Vice - The Gender Spectrum Collection

Interested in learning more about professional development at Clear Language Lab? Check out other past webinars, find upcoming events on our training page, or contact Sarah Glazer, Sr. Program Manager, at sarah@litworks.org to learn more about our offerings.

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