Trauma Informed Clinical Decision Making

How social workers make decisions to inform their practice is just as important, if not more so, than what they actually do or determine (i.e. modalities, interventions, practices used, etc.). The same is true for clinical social workers and the process by which they make diagnostic and treatment recommendations/determinations.
Are trauma responses independent of one’s culture? One’s identities? Today, best practices lend to a more holistic, somatic, framework to describe how one responds to traumatic events. But what about the influence of culture, history, and oppression as it applies to trauma specific interventions?
Students will articulate their understanding of the relationship between trauma and culture using available course readings, articles, and resources to this point. Responses will be submitted online, maximum 4 pages (APA style, not including cover and reference pages), and include the following:
1. Identify the trauma dynamics specifically as they relate to the intersectionality between trauma and race/ethnicity, historical discrimination, gender, sexual orientation, oppression, disability status, refugee status (as applicable), etc.
2. Reflect on the cultures you predominantly see in your community; how would you use cultural humility to attend specifically to these cultures in your practice. Provide at least one example.
3. What barriers can you anticipate meeting in your practice (i.e. organizational/practice policy, funding source/s, insurance, relationships, criminal justice involvement, child welfare involvement, school, employment, secondary/vicarious trauma etc.) How would you plan to address these?
Assignment maximum, 4 pages.