Learnings from Applying Trauma-Informed Principles to the Research Process (Matt Bernius, Rachael Dietkus, Aditi Joshi, Alba Villamil): readings and other resources
Resources mentioned in the presentation
- Dscout + HmntyCntrd: Challenging company playbooks to workplace trauma. (2021, December 27). dscout.com.
- Lipsky, L. V., & Burk, C. (2009). Trauma stewardship: An everyday guide to caring for self while caring for others. Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
- Qualitative Research at Code for America
Resource Guide for Attendees
Created by: aditi joshi, Alba Villamil, Rachael Dietkus, & Matt Bernius
Definitions & Concepts
- Trauma is a response to anything that’s overwhelming and that happens too much, too fast, too soon, and/or for too long and is coupled with a lack of protection or support. Trauma is not simply an emotional or psychological response; it lives in the body, stored as sensation, such as pain or tension – or is a lack of sensation, like numbness. It is deeply contextual and does not impact us all in the same way.
Trauma is also systemic and structural. Black, brown, unhoused, migrant, trans, and other historically and intentionally excluded groups have disproportionately experienced trauma at the hands of the products, policies, services, and systems that have been created by those in power. - Some of the forms of trauma include:
- Acute Trauma mainly stems from a single distressing event. The event is extreme enough to threaten a person’s emotional or physical security. Examples include: house fire, car accident, physical assault, etc.
- Chronic Trauma occurs when someone is exposed to multiple, long-term, and/or prolonged distressing, traumatic events over an extended period of time. Examples include: long term serious illness, bullying, experiencing ongoing food or housing insecurity.
- Vicarious trauma & secondary traumatic stress stems from indirect exposure to traumatic events through stories or images. Examples include: front line workers who work with traumatized people, researchers interviewing individuals on sensitive topics like domestic violence.
- Collective trauma occurs when direct exposure to traumatic event(s) impact a group of people, community, or society. Examples include: Pandemics, living in a community experiencing ongoing violence.
- Intergenerational trauma happens when the traumas experienced by one generation are passed on to the next. Examples include: ongoing impact of alcoholism within a family, impact of historic racism on members of BIPOC communities.
- Complex trauma is a result of exposure to varied and multiple traumatic events and/or experiences. Complex trauma can, and often does, combine any of the above forms of trauma. Examples include: domestic violence, racism, childhood neglect, childhood sexual abuse.
- Traumatization is the initial experience (or experiences in the case of chronic or complex trauma) becoming embedded in the body. Retraumatization when new stresses activate someone’s existing trauma, leading to that trauma becoming more increased and further entrenched.
- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s 6 Guiding Principles of Trauma Informed Approaches:
- Safety
- Trustworthiness & transparency
- Peer support
- Collaboration & mutuality
- Empowerment & choice
- Cultural, historical & gender issues
Web resources on trauma-informed approaches
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s guide to being Trauma-Informed
- Code for America’s Qualitative Research Practice Guide
- HMNTY CNTRD’s Organizational Response To Trauma Playbook
- Aditi Joshi’s article “Conducting research with a healing mindset.”
- Aditi Joshi’s audio documentary series for Code for America on the impacts of living with a criminal record: Jobs, Housing, and Mental Health
- Alba Villamil’s article about how designers can better impact disadvantaged communities and her Ethical Researcher’s Checklist
- Missouri Department of Health’s Maturity Model for Trauma-Informed Organizations
- The digital companion guide to Kelly Ann McKercher’s “Models of Care,” with specific resources related to trauma-informed practice and design
- Design patterns for mental health
- Tad Hirsch’s “Practicing Without a License: Design Research as Psychotherapy”
- Chicago Beyond’s “Why am I always being researched?”
Videos and podcast episodes on trauma and being trauma-informed
- Trauma-Informed Design panel with Rachael Dietkus, Sarah Fathallah, and Sara Cantor at Greater Good Studio’s Restorative Design Conference on October 2, 2020. Also, see Rachael’s medium article on Trauma and Design.
- Resmaa Menakem’s interview on intergenerational and racialized trauma from the On Being podcast.
- The Wisdom of Trauma a documentary on trauma centering on the work of Dr. Gabor Mate
- Nkem Ndefo speaking on Hurry Slowly about the Resilience Toolkit
Books related to trauma and trauma-informed approaches
- Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky and Connie Burk
- My Grandmother’s Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies by Resmaa Menakem
- Decolonizing Trauma Work by Renee Linklater
- The Politics of Trauma by Staci Hanes
- Loss, Trauma, and Resilience: Therapeutic Work with Ambiguous Loss by Pauline Boss
- The Set Boundaries Workbook: Practical Exercises for Understanding Your Needs and Setting Healthy Limits by Nedra Glover Tawwab
- Care Work: Dreaming Disability Justice by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
- The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel A. Van der Kolk’s
- Beyond Sticky Notes by KA McKercher
Resources for talking with children about trauma
- The Rabbit Listened by Cori Doerrfeld
- A Kids Book About Trauma by Megan Bartlett
Resources on self care
- Vivianne Castillo’s essays on the importance of Self-Care in UX Research
- The University at Buffalo’s School of Social Work framework for Self-Care
Organizations and groups offering workshops or open discussion groups on trauma informed approaches and self care
- Trauma-Informed Design Group meets monthly on the third Wednesday.
- Creative Reaction Lab combines education and civic engagement for racial justice & healthy living. We highly recommend their training sessions and their Equity-Centered Community Design Field Guide.
- HMNTY CNTRD is an award-winning organization that’s committed to transforming the status quo of being human-centered through courses, community, and consulting.
Social Workers Who Design, a social justice and social impact design consultancy dedicated to advocacy and trauma-responsive practices in design, research, and organizational leadership.
Additional Resources (mentioned by the conference audience)