Traumas great and small can tear gaps in the fabric of daily life. The father who has trouble holding a job still suffers the sting of battered childhood. An elderly widow struggles to emerge from the isolation of the Covid-19 pandemic. A teen is embarrassed on social media when she flunks her driver’s test. 

According to the World Mental Health Survey Consortium, more than 70 percent of respondents reported experiencing trauma, an event or series of events viewed by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life-threatening.  

Wilmington University is a regional leader in trauma-informed (TI) care, partnering with social service providers, educators, healthcare professionals, and employers to identify trauma and respond with compassionate strategies that help individuals build resiliency. It’s an integral part of an initiative launched in 2018 when Gov. John Carney signed an executive order declaring Delaware a trauma-informed state, adopting an intentional approach to understanding and interacting with people experiencing trauma. 

“Trauma can be the result of a single event, like losing a job, or long-term exposure, like living in a neighborhood with gun violence,” said Dr. Debra Berke, director of WilmU’s Psychology Programs and the Center for Prevention Science. 

Research shows that people who experience trauma, especially trauma that occurs in childhood, are more likely to suffer behavioral health issues and chronic physical health conditions that reduce life expectancy. Substance abuse and other risky behaviors also have been linked to trauma.  

Causes of trauma include domestic violence, sexual abuse, death in the family, poverty, and having a parent who is incarcerated. But smaller wounds also can have a devastating impact. 

“If the paper bag rips while you are carrying in groceries and a few jars break, you might be annoyed, but you aren’t traumatized,” Dr. Berke said. “But that loss could be traumatic if you are struggling to put food on the table and you don’t have money to replace those items.” 

Tracey Quillen Carney, Delaware’s first lady, was traumatized as a young girl when her father suffered an accident at home. Although her father recovered, her life felt out of control. She couldn’t focus on homework or sports.  

Her family had top-notch health benefits and ready access to resources. But she didn’t find healing until her trauma was identified. “I know what it’s like to have your life derailed by unaddressed trauma,” she said. “The missing piece in my situation, really, was information. Awareness and practical knowledge are so important to keep the impacts of trauma from upending the promise of our children’s future.” 

Trauma-informed approaches are paving a helpful highway, getting to the root of problems. For example, a friendly conversation with a girl who was often late for school revealed that her cellphone charger was broken. With a new charger, she could set an alarm and get to school on time. Likewise, a boy who punched a classmate who insulted his mother was haunted by the memory of not being able to protect his mom when his stepfather assaulted her. 

Consider a common scenario in education. A student is struggling in class. He is chronically late and has difficulty completing assignments. In emails to his instructor, the student asks for more time. The instructor gives him a break. She accommodates him by extending the deadline for his assignment. 

But the problems continue. In his emails, the student’s tone becomes strident. The instructor feels she’s being treated disrespectfully. Then, because he doesn’t complete his coursework, the student fails. The instructor feels frustrated. 

Dr. Berke said that if the instructor had taken a trauma-informed approach, the student and the instructor might have shared a positive outcome. 

“With a TI-perspective, the instructor reaches out and says, ‘hey, I see you’re still struggling. How can I help?’” she said. “The approach isn’t asking ‘what’s wrong with you?’ It’s asking, ‘what happened to you?’” 

Instructor and student talk about what is weighing on the student and ways to help him succeed. The instructor is a calm, compassionate listener and a referral person, connecting the student with the extra help he needs. The student completes his coursework and passes the class, confident he can succeed in other courses. The instructor gains the satisfaction of a job well done. 

WilmU is working with health and social services providers, educators, health systems, and other organizations throughout the state to nurture and strengthen trauma-informed initiatives. The university trains trauma-informed coaches through its Center for Prevention Science. 

“We recognized that we could share information and resources and come together and do professional development across institutions,” Dr. Berke said. 

Children & Families First, a Wilmington-based agency, offers school-based trauma intervention programs for children ages 5-18 who have been exposed to stressful and traumatic events. “Our relationship with WilmU and trauma work goes back years, starting with a community training program for early childhood providers on trauma for very young children and how to respond to it,” said Kirsten Olson, CEO. 

Research has shown that children who participate in trauma intervention programs have significantly fewer symptoms of post-traumatic stress and depression than children who don’t receive help. As a result, they are far more likely to flourish as adults. “Our goal is that their trauma symptom scores go down and their coping skills improve,” Olson said. “By intervening early, we can help brains rewire.” 

Providing services to students in a school setting removes obstacles such as transportation, schedule conflicts, and any stigma related to mental health. By intervening early, kids are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, commit crimes or engage in other dangerous behaviors as adults. 

Most people are likely to experience a traumatic event at some point in life, said Erin Mitchell, CEO of Trauma Matters Delaware (TMD), a hub that provides training, education, coaching, technical assistance, and advocacy for organizations throughout the state. Trauma-informed responses can help individuals to build resilience and lead happier, more productive lives. 

“Building resilience is a learned behavior. Taking care of yourself is being in tune with what boosts your mood, like going to the gym. It’s about being proactive and taking the time to learn what gets you back on track,” Mitchell said. 

TMD and WilmU are longtime partners, joining forces to train volunteers and advance TI-informed approaches. Dr. Julius Mullen, who teaches in WilmU’s Prevention Science doctoral program, is president of TMD’s board. He has written a series of trauma-informed children’s books with his wife, Natasha. Dr. Berke also serves, along with Kieran Mohammed, an adjunct instructor, and Nancy McGee, one of WilmU’s four trauma-informed trainers. 

Dr. Mullen applies TI principles in his work at WilmU, with profoundly positive results. Students are more engaged and do better work. “I started staying after class so students would have an opportunity to ask questions. I also slowed down the pace in class, walking through assignments in a concrete way,” he said. 

He collaborates with students, asking for their ideas on how to make up missed classes or assignments. He also makes himself available for tutoring. Dr. Mullen also said that meeting people where they are, listening with an open mind and heart, and working together to find solutions soon becomes second nature. “I am TI, trauma-informed,” he said. “For me, it’s personal and is reflected in everything I do.” 

At Beebe Healthcare, Dr. Berke and the WilmU team partnered with TMD to develop a 45-minute educational module with pre-and post-surveys, a mandatory educational module for employees.  

More than 1,100 Beebe team members opted for a second, optional module, said Kimberly Blanch, director of Community Outreach for Population Health. More than 60 individuals stepped up as volunteer resources for colleagues. Plans include bringing in an on-site coach to observe the health system’s workflow and practices from a TI approach, from patient intake to nutritional services.  

“It’s an ever-evolving infrastructure providing layers of support for team members and management,” Blanch said. “A compassionate, wellbeing-centered culture supports our goal of being an employer of choice.” 

Heightened awareness and effective training in dealing with trauma mean more people are getting help, Carney noted. People impacted by trauma also are likely to receive care faster. 

“Our state owes a lot to those original compassionate champions, including Dr. Deb Berke and her colleagues at WilmU, who have provided bold and inspiring leadership,” she said. “I don’t think there can be any true, lasting improvement in our society without an understanding of what real human beings are going through. Being trauma informed is a way of understanding people, including ourselves, better. Improved relationships almost always lead to improved outcomes — and better experiences for all.”  

Learn more at Wilmington University.