Are you trauma-informed?
Students ask me, “Can I call myself a trauma-informed practitioner after taking your EFT Workshop?”
I can tell they want permission to put that title on their website.
Part of me could say, yes.
You’re informed: You know what trauma is. You have at least 3 techniques (covered in your level 1/2 workshop) to release emotion without reliving a traumatic memory.
But are you trauma-confident?
Do you feel confident you can safely help a client no matter what trauma they bring you?
Even the moment they’ve told no one about?
Or the one they’re too scared to tell themselves?
Or the memory they buried so deep inside their psyche that they don’t even remember it until it floods into your office unexpectedly?
When I first took an EFT workshop, I felt overly confident.
I worked with women who’d experienced forced circumcision.
I worked with first-generation Americans who grew up with daily cultural abuse and bigotry.
I told people I specialized in sexual abuse simply because I was passionate about the topic.
I was passionate but not equipped.
I retraumatized a few (if not many) of my early clients by asking, “When was the first time you felt this way?”
I knew how to calm someone down but what if they shut down completely? Did I know how to wake them back up?
Are you trauma-informed?
I’ll answer the question with 10 questions:
Circle yes or no.
Can I tell the difference between a big cry and emotional flooding?
Can I tell when someone “feels neutral” about a memory versus “feels neutral” because they have learned to numb or dissociate?
Do I feel cool, calm, and collected no matter what trauma a client tells me… since most clients don’t mention their big trauma on an intake form?
Do I know at least 3 methods to safely pull someone out of an unexpected flashback or panic attack?
Do I feel confident when a client recalls a traumatic memory that they suppressed, for the first time, over Zoom?
Do I know how to help a client release a memory without reliving it? Or do I always ask “When was the first time you felt this way?” and let them tell me the whole story without stopping them!?
Do I know how to interrupt, while simultaneously validating, a client who begins to share a memory that might flood them? And am I confident that I know when to interrupt vs. let them share?
Do I know what words or phrases to avoid when leading a group to avoid opening up a traumatic memory?
Do I know what Resourcing is and have at least 10 Resouring Techniques to teach clients before EVER exploring their past? Do I understand that I am increasing the chance they have a flashback or regression in between sessions if I tap on a trauma without first resourcing?
Resourcing: Equipping someone with tools to quickly access safety and hope in between sessions.
10. Do I feel confident supporting a client who tells me they are suicidal since trauma increases the risk of suicidal thinking by 80%? And, do I know the the legal steps I must take when a client is suicidal?
Before you book a healing practitioner, send them these 10 questions.
Before you call yourself a healing practitioner, do what it takes to say YES to the above.
You’ll see more and more practitioners throwing around the phrase “trauma-informed” in their bio or byline.
The self-help field is growing and with it, the practitioner pool is growing and becoming watered down.
I learned I was part of the problem when I saw students take my Level 1&2 workshop, never pursuing full EFT Practitioner Certification, and then opening EFT businesses!
Because I care deeply about healing with integrity, I am making two big changes to how I run my Level 1&2 Workshop and Mentorship.
I’ll send you the details soon.
Hint: I want all of my students to pursue EFT Practitioner Certification and confidently hold their certificate that says Trauma-Informed EFT Practitioner.
Stay tuned.
