Trauma informed care with military populations

ABSTRACT

Many of the most challenging issues military members and their families are facing are trauma related. Agencies and treatment providers working with military members and their families should be able to recognize and respond to symptoms based on a trauma informed care perspective. This article describes frequent trauma responses found in this population and how to assess these reactions. It explores and endorses a Trauma-informed care treatment framework for understanding and intervening with military-connected clients that centrally emphasizes

individual, family, and systems strengths, adaptation, and resiliency and that is built on the five essential care principles of safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, and empowerment. The article further highlights research-supported, adjunctive, and alternative trauma-informed clinical interventions for members, veterans, and their families along with providing guidance on how to adjust these approaches for these clients.

KEYWORDS:

• Veterans
• mental health
• military
• trauma-informed care
• military families