Embracing Trauma-Informed Care For Effective Treatment

Healing is a personal journey. Veterans from any branch of the armed forces will have to process many personal challenges for a healthy and fulfilling civilian life. However, whether veterans are overcoming the use of drugs or alcohol, mental health disorders, or working towards any other kind of healing goal, addressing trauma among veterans is essential. Trauma-informed care can be a necessary approach to veteran healing by empowering each person to overcome trauma or PTSD and address its impact on other areas of their life. Moreover, embracing trauma-informed care for veterans at Hawaii Island Recovery can present a new approach to healing, sobriety, and recovery that can be necessary in civilian life. 

Each and every treatment program at Hawaii Island Recovery is personalized to the needs and goals of each person. Curating an effective recovery plan for veterans is no different. Trauma-informed care differs from other approaches to recovery by focusing on not just the prevalence of trauma in a person’s past but also how these experiences can inform other areas of life, such as the use of addictive substances as a coping mechanism or their effects on feelings of self-worth, perspectives, decision-making, and more. It focuses on past traumas as a fundamental aspect of a person’s healing journey and their connection with present challenges. 

This can be especially important for veterans throughout their transition to a healthy civilian life. Trauma is common as a result of military life. For many, navigating the life-threatening experiences of an active warzone has lasting and profound effects on a person’s mental health and worldview. However, this is not the only way in which veterans may experience trauma. 

Some may also encounter traumatic experiences through the loss of brothers and sisters in arms, or through personal experiences on base. Injuries incurred during training, on-base cultures and atmospheres, and even the continued prevalence of military sexual trauma (MST) can all leave lasting traumas for veterans even after their time in service has concluded. 

Professionals at Hawaii Island Recovery using trauma-informed care practices are not only sensitive to the traumatic experiences of veterans but also make an effort to change the way in which veterans can approach their own healing and recovery goals. Knowing what to expect can empower veterans to best work with professionals and capitalize on new physical, emotional, and spiritual healing opportunities. 

Trauma can cause an individual to feel isolated or reluctant to reach out. Coupled with the inherent feelings of isolation among veterans during their transition to civilian life, creating a safe environment is a crucial aspect of trauma-informed care. Not only does this mean creating an atmosphere devoid of stigmas or judgment but also one cognizant of the various forms of triggers that each individual may hold – both in terms of the use of drugs and alcohol as well as any potential reminders of past traumas. Furthermore, the environment itself, the language used, and the pervasive ideas and attitudes all contribute to creating a healthy and safe healing environment. 

Trauma-informed care also takes a more focused approach to developing effective decision-making skills to empower those in recovery to feel more and more in control of their own healing trajectory. Working with professionals and peers to not only overcome traumas but also begin to express personal agency is a powerful approach to overcoming trauma, mental health disorders, and addiction in a veteran’s life. 

Trauma is not something that will just vanish. Veterans may have a plethora of stresses or reminders of past traumatic events, even while pursuing treatment and healing for other challenges. Trauma-informed care adds an additional focus on resilience-building strategies to help veterans “bounce back” from stressful events and resituate themselves in the present moment. Keeping connected with peers, maintaining effective grounding strategies and healthy dieting strategies, and finding fulfilling and meaningful activities are all part of building this resilience while overcoming trauma, mental health disorders, and addiction. 

Simply learning about trauma and its effects can be an empowering experience. Many veterans may not be aware of the full range of effects that trauma can have on an individual, and being able to identify when trauma is present and how it may impact an individual’s thought processes and behaviors can be a huge realization. Hawaii Island Recovery’s approach to rehab in Hawaii and trauma-informed care takes time to focus on trauma education and works with each veteran to explore how trauma may have manifested in their past. While some traumas may be overt, there may still be other lingering traumas that are not as readily apparent but equally in need of being addressed.

Trauma-informed care empowers veterans to not just address past traumas but to use these strategies to further their own healing goals. Overcoming trauma in tandem with substance use, anxiety, depression, and more is incredibly difficult. Taking a dedicated stance to overcome trauma coupled with not just communal healing efforts but also individualized personal care can create the best blend of strategies for a truly transformed civilian life for veterans. 

Trauma-informed care can be necessary for veterans not only overcoming their past experiences in military service but also looking to challenge the continued effects of mental health disorders and addiction in civilian life. At Hawaii Island Recovery, we understand how genuine recovery and healing are all-encompassing efforts, and we take an equally holistic approach to your recovery journey. From addiction and trauma healing to addressing social needs, spiritual needs, and more, our community of peers and professionals is ready to help you address trauma and its continued impact on veteran life today. To learn more about our rehab in Hawaii and how we can help you through trauma-informed care and veteran programs, call to speak to us at (866) 390-5070.