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‘Untying the Knot’: Achieving Integrative and Collaborative Care within Trauma and Fear Saturated Systems – A Practice-Focused Discussion Paper

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 April 2017

Dilip Balu
Dilip Balu*
Affiliation:
Social Worker & Clinical Senior Child Protection Counselling Service, Springfield Cottage, P.O. Box 63 Penrith NSW 2751
*
address for correspondence: Dilip Balu, Social Worker & Clinical Senior Child Protection Counselling Service, Springfield Cottage, P.O. Box 63 Penrith NSW 2751. E-mail: dilipbalu@hotmail.com (personal) or dilip.balu@health.nsw.gov.au (work)
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Abstract

The author's clinical experience with the Child Protection and Mental Health Care systems informs this brief practice-focused paper. The author posits that Secondary Traumatic Stress and Vicarious Trauma are central to understanding the impact of relationally traumatic material and the experience of individuals, families, team and the wider ecology of care systems. In particular, the author hypothesises that the tendency of systems to become fragmented in operation, with silos of sub-parts working parallel to each other, may be a natural adaptation to the ways in which traumatic experience ripples across system boundaries. This ‘ripple effect’ may lead to increasing emotional and relational reactivity, and survival-oriented inward focus of energies and efforts. The metaphor of the brain and nervous system is used to explore ideas of connection and integration in care systems. Trauma-informed leadership by individuals and teams is also touched upon in relation to reducing fear-driven clinical practice.

Keywords

collaborative care systemscomplex traumasecondary traumavicarious traumaneurobiology of traumatrauma informed care
Type
Practice Commentary
Information
Children Australia , Volume 42 , Issue 2 , June 2017 , pp. 104 - 107
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2017 

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