Trauma-Informed Care at HWA
Healing Wave Aquatics is committed to providing a safe and healing environment. We do this by learning about trauma and the relation of trauma with our program, then adopting best practices for a trauma-sensitive approach to working with clients. Staff and practitioners participate in regular training and discussions.
What is trauma?
- Trauma comes from the Greek word for ‘wound’
- Trauma is a pervasive problem. It results from exposure to an incident or series of events that are emotionally disturbing or life-threatening with lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, and/or spiritual well-being.
- Experiences that may be traumatic include:
- Physical, sexual, and emotional abuse
- Childhood neglect
- Living with a family member with mental health or substance use disorders
- Sudden, unexplained separation from a loved one
- Poverty
- Racism, discrimination, and oppression
- Violence in the community, war, or terrorism
- What is the relationship between trauma and health-risk behaviors?
- People affected by trauma may develop coping mechanisms to help alleviate the emotional and/or physical pain they feel as a result of trauma. Sometimes, these strategies involve maladaptive behaviors — such as unhealthy eating, tobacco use, or drug and alcohol use. These coping mechanisms may provide some relief, but they can also simultaneously contribute to anxiety, social isolation, and chronic diseases.
What is trauma-informed care?
- Trauma-informed care shifts the focus from “What’s wrong with you?” to “What happened to you?”
- Trauma-informed care is defined as practices that promote a culture of safety, empowerment, and healing.
- Trauma-informed care seeks to:
- Realize the widespread impact of trauma and understand paths for recovery;
- Recognize the signs and symptoms of trauma in patients, families, and staff;
- Integrate knowledge about trauma into policies, procedures, and practices; and
- Actively avoid re-traumatization.
Six key principles of a trauma-informed approach
Safety
Trust & Transparency
Peer Support
Collaboration
Individual Choice
Cultural Responsiveness
What does trauma-informed aquatic therapy at HWA look like?
Experienced client care
Our Behavioral Health Specialist is the first point of contact with clients and provides support for clients various physical and mental trauma, such as Traumatic Brain Injury, Military Sexual Trauma, as well as for life-changing events, such as gender transition or survival of suicide attempt.
Pairing with Aquatic Therapy Practitioner
- We ensure the best fit in service to support a high rate of completion.
- Working with the same practitioner multiple times to establish a genuine connection to ensure trust over time.
Client agency
- We explain the process, getting approval, offering opportunities to make changes, if needed.
- We make space for communication (even if non-verbal) to give the client agency.
Pacing
- We work with the client … pace in harmony with the breath.
- We offer a pace that each individual client needs and check in along the way.
- We take our time, going slowly, and even taking breaks if needed.
- We provide exit strategies for any challenges that may arise.
- We provide stable support to allow the client’s mind to navigate potentially challenging moments because of traumatic memory.
- We ensure time to bring a session to a close gracefully and softly to allow the transition out of the session to be as seamless as possible.
Process of feedback, layering, and retention
- We use weekly feedback forms to ensure quality of care and adapt to changes.
- Successive sessions allow for individualized care that’s in harmony with a client’s needs over time as they work to be unburdened by their trauma.
