Trauma is defined as “an emotional shock that creates significant and lasting damage to a person’s mental, physical and emotional growth”.
Traumatic experiences can significantly alter a person’s perception of themselves, their environment, and the people around them. In effect, trauma changes the way people view themselves, others and their world and can impact the individual’s safety, well-being, and permanence.
It would be nearly impossible to list all of the situations that could lead to trauma. Trauma may be a one-time event or a series of experiences (e.g. racism, abuse, neglect, violence, poverty, etc.). The effects and experiences can impact an individual’s development and their capacity to build trusting relationships with others and their environment. The long-lasting effects of unresolved trauma are often passed down to the next generation.
Trauma-Informed Care at Pressley Ridge incorporates proven practices into current organizational operations to deliver services that acknowledge the role that trauma, developmental stressors and adversity plays in the lives of the individuals being served in our programs. For that reason, the Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics (NMT) is central to Pressley Ridge’s understanding and practice of trauma-informed care. The Neurosequential Model is a developmentally sensitive, neurobiology-informed approach to clinical problem solving that was developed by Dr. Bruce Perry. Training in the model is implemented and monitored by the Neurosequential Network.
Trauma-Informed Care at Pressley Ridge
- Integrates in all aspects of the organization (policies, procedures and practices) have been considered and evaluated with a basic understanding of the role that trauma plays in the lives of children, adolescents, adults and families.
- Provides the foundation for a basic understanding of the psychological, neurological, biological, and social impact that trauma and violence has on individuals.
- Incorporates proven practices into current organizational operations to deliver services that acknowledge the role that trauma plays in the lives of most of the individuals entering our systems.
- Addresses the needs of individuals who have been traumatized and are delivered in a way to avoid inadvertent re-traumatization, to facilitate participation in treatment, decision-making in intervention and to take ownership of their recovery.
- Provides opportunities for staff at all levels to acknowledge and address any vicarious traumatization or compassion fatigue in themselves and others.
For more information, contact us at (412) 872-9400 or email info@pressleyridge.org.