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Peer Support: Mastering Trauma Informed Care

MODULE 8: TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE PRACTICES As your Peer Support Coach, I want to emphasise that Module 8 is arguably the most critical lens you will wear. In your certification exam and interviews, you will be tested on your ability to shift from asking What is wrong with you? to What happened to you? You must demonstrate that trauma is not an illness to be cured, but a human response to overwhelming circumstances. 1. THE CORE UNDERSTANDING: WHAT IS TRAUMA? In peer support, we use a definition that focuses on connection. Trauma is an out-of-control experience that disconnects us from our sense of resourcefulness, safety, coping, or love. THE UNIVERSAL PRECAUTION: Approximately 76 percent of Canadians report experiencing a traumatic event. We assume everyone we support has a history of trauma, meaning we do not need a disclosure to provide trauma-informed care. 2. THE SIX PRINCIPLES OF TRAUMA-INFORMED CARE Structure your interview answers around these six pillars adapted from the Jean Tweed Centre: I. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Recognising that trauma impacts all areas of life. We reframe problem behaviours as adaptive coping mechanisms. SCRIPT: I hear you are frustrated with using substances again, but I want to acknowledge that for a long time, that was how you survived the pain. II. SAFETY: Ensuring physical and emotional safety by minimising stressors and being transparent. SCRIPT: I want to make sure you feel comfortable. Would you prefer to sit by the door? III. TRUSTWORTHINESS: Rebuilding trust through consistency and clear boundaries. SCRIPT: I will walk alongside you, not fix you. I will keep our appointments and notify you immediately if anything changes. IV. CHOICE AND CONTROL: Recovery involves reclaiming power. The peer drives the relationship and we offer options. SCRIPT: We have 30 minutes left. Would you like to keep talking about this or look at resources? It is up to you. V. COLLABORATION: Flattening the hierarchy. You are a partner, not an expert. SCRIPT: I do not have the answers for your life, but I am here to figure this out with you as a team. VI. EMPOWERMENT: Focusing on survival skills and resilience rather than deficits. SCRIPT: It took incredible courage to walk through those doors today. That shows great strength. 3. RE-TRAUMATISATION AND STRESSORS The term trigger can be associated with violence; use terms like stressor or feeling activated. THE RULE FOR THE SUPPORTER: Do not share graphic details of your trauma. Share the impact and your resiliency. THE RULE FOR THE PEER: Listen without judgement. If they begin to spiral, gently help them ground themselves back into their window of tolerance. 4. VICARIOUS TRAUMA This is the cost of caring. If asked how you handle difficult sessions, mention regular debriefing with a supervisor and strict boundaries to prevent exhaustion or cynicism. 5. COACH SCENARIO TRAINING SCENARIO: A peer yells that you do not understand and are just like the rest of the system. RESPONSE: Stay calm. Use acknowledgement and choice. SCRIPT: I can hear how angry you are, and I appreciate you telling me. Do you want to take a break for a minute, or do you want to tell me what I just missed? SUMMARY CHECKLIST Trauma is an injury, not an illness. Safety and trust are the foundation. Assume trauma is present through universal precautions. Ask what happened, not what is wrong. BIBLIOGRAPHY Brach, T. (2025). Trauma-Informed Peer Support Workbook. Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. (2025). Peer Support Core Competencies. The Jean Tweed Centre. (2023). Trauma-Informed Practice Guide. #PeerSupport #TraumaInformedCare #RecoveryJourney #MentalHealthCanada #LivedExperience #TraumaAwareness #SafetyFirst #Empowerment #SupportWorker #Healing #CompassionateCare #WellnessArchitecture #PeerCertification