Fostering Connections

Psychologist Howard Bath (2008) identifies connections as one of the three pillars of trauma informed care. As such it is imperative that trauma informed programs engage in a variety of activities that help clients and consumers forge and re-establish positive connections with others. This principle  can also be modeled in the training environment. Provide opportunities for participants to connect with one another through activities such as community meetings (which can also be used with consumer/clients) small group or dyad exercises, and ice breakers. Additionally, sending a contact list with phone numbers and e-mails to all who attended can promote post-workshop connections. Buddy exercises where participants exchange a work plan based on the training and a commitment to check-in on progress in the future can both foster connection as well as bolster the transfer of training to practice.