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square bulletA Focus on Training and Education in Trauma Informed Care

Foundations of Trauma Informed Care Trainer Manual and Workbook cover sit side-by-side

From , LCSW, PhD, Director, Trauma Informed Oregon

Providing Training in a Trauma Informed Way

In the Fall 2025 newsletter, we’re focusing on one of the Five Essential Elements of Trauma-Informed Care: Training and Education. There’s a lot we could explore within this topic:

  • What kind of education or training is needed to implement trauma-informed practices?
  • Who in an organization or program needs training—and how much, or how many?
  • What does a front office staff member or bus driver need to know? What about a clinical provider or physician?
  • How do you select a training program or trainer—and how can you make it impactful?
  • What methods best suit your community and culture?
  • How much training and education is enough?
  • Is your offering culturally and linguistically appropriate?
  • How do you provide a training in a trauma informed way?

For this newsletter, I wanted to focus on how to provide training in a trauma informed way and share some recent experiences I’ve had in learning spaces with others. Also—know that TIO is here to explore these other questions and topics with you.

You may notice that I often use terms like gathering, sharing space, learning, or exploring instead of just training. That’s intentional. While I still use the word “training,” it doesn’t always capture what really happens when we come together to learn about trauma informed care.

When you’re exploring these practices with others, you often feel why this work is so powerful and necessary. You witness the “aha” moments on people’s faces when they recognize how trauma explains certain thoughts and behaviors. You hear grace and understanding—both for others and for oneself when we broaden our knowing. You see connections form between people and their stories and experiences. And you witness the moment people realize they can make a significant difference in someone else’s life, often with small moments such as adding a few minutes to be present, being curious, changing language, etc.

I especially cherish those moments when people who are learning about trauma informed care for the first time—or thought it didn’t apply to them—realize all the ways it applies and connects to their role and work (e.g. the tattoo artist, hair stylist, food inspector, natural resource manager). Learning about TIC can be overwhelming as we begin to see the scope of harm. But it can also be energizing to understand how healing relationships and small acts of care can truly make an impact. Especially during times of disruption, chaos, or change, these micro-moments of kindness—or someone simply recognizing our experience and effort—can mean everything.

Tailoring Trauma Informed Training to the Audience

I am grateful for TIO’s foundational modules because they continue to evolve because of many voices and feedback. I believe they work because they don’t tell you what to do. Instead, they offer knowledge and space—space to reflect, to feel, and to figure out how to apply trauma informed principles in a way that feels authentic and relevant to the times, to a community, or to a sector. We’ve intentionally added reflection prompts, sensory and somatic awareness, and time for personal exploration. Elements such as these make a training trauma informed.

Unlike a CPR or first aid course in which you learn, practice, and then periodically test a set of skills, effective TIC training holds space for uncertainty, invites curiosity, and encourages critical engagement with the material.

Of course, creating this kind of learning space looks different across sectors, communities, and cultures. A session for preschool teachers will look very different than one for judges or young adults. That’s why I spend significant time preparing, even when facilitating a module I’ve led many times. I think deeply about the context, the people in the room, what they might need, how the content applies to their work, and any challenges or activation points that may come up.

When you reach out to TIO for a training, we rarely respond with a simple “yes” or “no.” More often, we respond: “Let’s talk more.” We believe every training is the start of a relationship—with you, your peers, and with your organization. We want to understand the motivation behind the request, your past experiences with trauma informed training, who will be in the room, and so much more. This helps us decide not only if we can meet the need, but how best to do so.

As my dear friend and colleague Dr. Karen Triesman says: “Model the model.” At TIO, we’ve developed our own trauma informed checklist and reminders to ensure we’re walking our talk. These practices begin weeks before a training, continue during the session, and carry on after. Some examples include:

  • Reviewing all marketing materials through a trauma informed lens, ensuring expectations are clear for the time
  • Letting TIO staff know in advance about any required materials or supplies
  • Learning about the organization’s previous training experiences
  • Asking about recent tragedies or critical incidents that may need to be addressed
  • Providing an agenda ahead of time that includes self-regulation tips
  • Arriving at in-person trainings 30 minutes early to set up technology, settle our nervous systems, and co-regulate with others in the space
  • Acknowledging struggles with the space (temperature, noise, seating, etc.)
  • Bringing fidgets and making water/snacks accessible
  • Offering multiple ways for participants to give feedback
  • Following up to see how the content is being integrated into daily work

These practices vary by setting (virtual vs. in-person) and duration (1-hour session vs. 4-day event), but they all reflect the same care, intention, and integrity we aim to bring into every learning space.

One of my favorite offerings is our Train the Trainer (TOT) event. It’s not just about learning and practicing the content—it’s about learning how to model the model. Currently, TOT is a 4-day event, redesigned by TIO member Danielle Grondin-Villanueva to incorporate more opportunities to feel and embody what it means to teach trauma informed care with authenticity.

These four-day trainings with a small cohort of 20 people are consistently transformational. Day one usually starts with a mix of hesitation, anxiety about presenting, and uncertainty (especially from those who were “voluntold” to attend). Over the next three days, we practice in small groups, using scripts and slides, sharing personal stories, and building community.

Throughout, we explore themes like:

  • Know Your Why
  • What If… [unexpected things happen during training]
  • Qualities of a Good Teacher
  • How to Give and Receive Feedback

We constantly evaluate and revise this offering based on participant feedback. Every group brings its own energy and magic. When people are given the space to be vulnerable, to practice, and to connect—something special happens. If you’ve been part of a TOT, you know what I mean. We’re always striving to model the principles of trauma informed care—and we ask the same of participants. It’s rewarding to watch people make the content their own by adapting it for their unique settings.

Each time I facilitate a Train the Trainer, I walk away renewed. These four days are a rare opportunity—not just to teach, but to learn alongside others. We laugh, we stress, we stretch, we stumble, and we support each other. The vulnerability, shared purpose, and real-time practice create a sense of community that’s hard to describe but easy to feel.

TOT is about so much more than becoming a trainer. It’s about becoming more intentional—about how we show up, how we teach, how we hold space for others, and how we carry this work forward. There’s a kind of magic in the way these groups come together. Each one is different, but the bond and mutual encouragement are always present.

Many participants realize that they may never present a PowerPoint or a Prezi to a large audience—and that’s okay. Trauma informed practices can be shared in so many ways: a hallway conversation, a team huddle, a staff meeting, a newsletter, or a quiet moment with a colleague who needs support.

There’s no one “right” way to do this work. What matters is that we do it with care, authenticity, and a commitment to keep learning. And let me be clear: we’re not perfect. We’ve forgotten snacks. We’ve cut it too close with setup. We’ve left handouts behind. But we’re learning and reflecting—and most importantly, we name it.

Check Out These Blogs About the Essential Element “Training and Education”

What We Have Been up to (and Are Excited About)

The TIO Family Is Growing!

Our team added two wonderful babies to their families over the summer!

Congratulations, Christy!

TIO celebrates Dr. Christy da Rosa earning her PhD in Social Work from PSU in June 2025.

Read Dr. da Rosa’s dissertation abstract

TIO Highlights from 2025

  • Some Places We Have Been in Person: Bend, Ontario, Newport, Hillsboro, Grants Pass, Eugene, Salem, Redmond, Genenden Beach, The Dalles, Portland, Spokane WA, Austin TX, San Diego CA, Mariselle France

  • Sectors/Audiences: Early childhood learning, legal advocates, juvenile departments, district attorney offices, community corrections, city police departments, administrators, policy makers, medical staff, and more

  • A Few Stats… In the last 6 months, TIO has conducted:

    • 1 Anti-Racist Practitioners Guide training
    • 1 Art at Your Desk training
    • 2 Divining Liberation trainings
    • 8 Foundations of Trauma Informed Care (including 1 in Japan and 1 with young people) trainings
    • 6 Training of Trainers (including 1 with young people) trainings
    • 6 Somatic Moment trainings
    • 2 Trauma Informed Supervision Series trainings
    • 2 Workforce Wellness Wednesdays trainings
    • 3 TIC Microlessons trainings

  • A Few Products and Projects:

    Department of Early Learning and Care Translation project worked to translate the Foundation modules into 5 languages, including:

    • Spanish
    • Russian
    • Chinese
    • Vietnamese
    • Somali

  • Fun Moments:

    • We have a new baby space!
    • We moved offices just to the other side of the building…
    • …and our kids helped with our office move (check out the box label)!
Baby space
Packing our offices
Funny box label

Register for TIO’s Upcoming Events

Registration Coming Soon for More Upcoming Events

Registration for this upcoming offering and others will open soon! We’ll have many more events coming up in 2026. Check back on our Training and Events Calendar, or sign up for TIO’s "Save the Date" events email list.

  • Foundations of TIC, with TIO Staff

    January 13, 15, 20, 22, 2026 (Tuesday and Thursday)

  • Micro-Lesson: Policy, Procedure, and Practice, with Christy da Rosa, PhD, LICSW

    January 21, 2026 (Wednesday)

  • Workforce Wellness: Facilitator/Supervision Skill Sets, with Steffannie Roché, MS, LPC

    February 4, 2026 (Wednesday)

  • TIO Open House, with TIO Staff

    February 25, 2026 (Wednesday) @ 1:00pm – 3:30pm PT

Is This Trauma Informed?

Is it Trauma Informed to ask staff to leave cameras on during virtual meetings?

At TIO we ask we sometimes invite participants to turn on cameras for a quick wave and hello so we have a better sense of each other. Then keep the option always to have the camera on or off, to speak or mute and to write in the chat. We also encourage using emojis as a way to connect.

If you have a question or wonder if something is trauma informed please email your inquiry to TIOinfo@pdx.edu.

Reminders and Action Items for Our Community

Provide Feedback to Help Improve TIO

TIO values feedback to improve our work! Please take a moment and share your thoughts on your experience with Trauma Informed Oregon and trauma informed care projects in your community. This voluntary, anonymous survey will take 3-5 minutes and will help us improve the quality and impact of our trainings and offerings. This survey is being conducted by Trauma Informed Oregon (TIO). Your response will be included in a report that can be used to improve our work. Research findings about best TIC training practices may also be published or shared publicly. We value your input and appreciate your time.

Take the survey »

Read Issue Brief on Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act of 2023

The “Community Mental Wellness and Resilience Act of 2023” (CMWRA) will direct CDC to fund and support community initiatives that use a public health approach to build population mental wellness and resilience.

Read the brief »

You’re Invited to Take TIO’s Foundations of TIC Course

Are you interested in training in the Foundation of Trauma Informed Care? You are welcome to our free, online, asynchronous offering of the Foundations of Trauma Informed Care materials and downloadable workbook. Follow along independently or engage a larger group and use the workbook questions to facilitate dialogue. You may take the course without registering, or you may register to receive a certificate upon course completion.

Take the course without registration »

Register for the course to get a certificate upon completion »

Check Out TIO’s TIC Implementation Tool

Would your workplace like to continue implementing Trauma Informed practices? TIO encourages organizations and agencies to use our TIC Implementation Tool.

View the tool »

Stay Connected!

We love feedback and staying connected, so be in touch if you have a request, need, or want to collaborate.

Contact TIO »