Why Specialize in a Trauma-Informed MSW?
A trauma-informed MSW specialization shifts the focus from “What is wrong with this person?” to “What has happened to this person?”
Widener University's Center for Social Work Education utilizes a trauma-informed curriculum that addresses the needs of individuals, families, and communities impacted by trauma. As a social worker, being sensitive to people’s unique lived experiences fosters trust and creates an environment conducive to effective treatment and healing.
Identified as a core issue in social work practice, the Council on Social Work Education (CSWE) defined standards for competent practice in response to trauma as an ethical obligation in social work education. Seeking an MSW program with a specialization in trauma or an online certificate in practices in trauma recovery will better prepare you as a clinician to assess and serve your clients and organizations.
Prevalence of Trauma in Social Work Clients
Trauma is often the preceding cause of mental health challenges. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), 90 percent of clients in the U.S. in public behavioral health care settings have experienced trauma. [See SAMHSA: Trauma and Violence] According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 1 in 7 children experience child abuse and/or neglect, which may cause physical injuries as well as emotional and psychological problems.
SAMHSA describes individual trauma as resulting from "an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful or life threatening and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and mental, physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being."
While trauma is an individual experience, some common types of trauma that you will learn to support are interpersonal violence, assault, natural disasters, war, racism, and chronic health issues to name a few.
Importance of a Trauma-Informed MSW Curriculum
Widener University’s trauma-focused MSW curriculum exceeds CWSE standards and best prepares you to serve a greater population of those in need of mental health care.
The effects of trauma, if left untreated, can lead to a myriad of social and emotional challenges including but not limited to substance use, chronic health issues, challenges with employment, relationship challenges, and more. Graduates of a trauma-informed MSW program gain the clinical skills and training to provide a more effective and impactful course of intervention for a wider range of clients.
In addition, trauma-informed clinicians have an understanding of the impact of trauma at the organizational and community level, can guide ongoing internal organizational assessment and quality improvement, and influence policy changes. They have the skills to emerge as an advocate for the underserved and work to improve social justice.
Principles of Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice
Trauma-informed social workers appreciate how common trauma is, and how trauma may impact the WHOLE person. They emphasize client strengths instead of focusing on pathology, and they work on building healthy skills rather than simply addressing symptoms. Trauma-informed social workers also realize that in addition to a person or people, systems can be traumatized, thus impacting everyone involved in the system.
Trauma-informed care focuses on core tenants including:
- Safety: Safety means safety for all, emotionally, physically, psychologically, and spiritually. Social workers ask, “Does this space feel safe? Do we feel safe in our day-to-day interactions? This safety is not limited to the people they serve, but also includes the people providing the services and everyone involved in the agency.
- Trust and Transparency: All work, decisions, communication, and interactions are transparent. Building trust means everyone is involved and everyone is aware.
- Collaboration: Social workers understand the innate power differential that can come with provider relationships and approach their work understanding that clients are the experts of their lives and they work in collaboration. This also translates to the workplace and places importance in shared decision-making. Social workers recognize there are many roles and each role is equally important.
- Empowerment Voice and Choice: Power differentials not only impact collaboration but also may impact a person’s ability to use their voice in order to assert their needs. Social workers support shared decision-making and client's self-determination, trusting that their clients know what they need in order to heal and live their best lives.
- Cultural, Historical, and Gender Issues: Social workers must look at, understand, and transcend biases, their own and biases found in communities and organizations, and respond to the total needs of the person with whom they are working.
Read more about Trauma-Informed Social Work Practice and Understanding Child Trauma.
