Eagle Village has provided treatment to help victims of abuse and neglect, and teens in need of intervention for 50 years.  We provide what is known as “Trauma-Informed Care,” a term that describes the main group of individuals that we treat- people who have suffered trauma in their lives.

Now, while the name may be self-explanatory to some degree, many don’t know what trauma-informed care actually entails. So we’re here to tell you!

The Traumatic Stress Institute defines trauma-informed care (TIC) as this: “A model for offering services that is responsive to the needs of people who have endured adverse childhood events and trauma. It maximizes healing and reduces the chance of re-traumatization.”

A few weeks ago, we posted on Facebook about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Protective Childhood Experiences (PCEs). Trauma-informed care is built around these concepts, recognizing the impacts of toxic stress and works to help reduce these impacts.

Keren Barber, one of Eagle Village’s Experiential Therapists, puts it this way:

“With trauma-informed care sometimes you have to think outside the box of ‘talk therapy’. Experiential sessions, such as art therapy, high adventure therapy, music therapy and more, help traumatized youth make connections to their feelings, beliefs and behaviors.”

Treating our youth through a trauma-informed lens allows us to establish trust and emotional safety between our kids and our therapists, as well as provide them with resources that empower them to help regulate their response to stress.

At Eagle Village, we are always paying attention to new studies and commit to the best evidence-based practices to treat our kids. The world of mental health is expanding rapidly, and we are learning more about it every day. The more we learn, the more we can apply. The more we apply, the more children and families will be served, valued, and equipped for success.