HB Autism Summit
Autism Occupational Therapy
Resource Toolkit
Engaging in Trauma-Informed and Trauma-Sensitive Care Practices
Why Engage in Trauma-Informed and Trauma-Sensitive Care Practices?
“Imagine your mental, physical, and emotional health as a backpack. Some days, that backpack may be really heavy, full, and wear you down. Other days, it may be a bit lighter, and you are quicker on your feet, but the backpack is always there. Everyone wears this hypothetical “backpack”; young and old, rich and poor. It’s up to us as health care professionals, to do our best to consider what we know about what load a person is carrying, while knowing that we won’t ever fully understand someone’s story.” – The OT Toolbox
This section contains strategies on developing a trauma informed lens when supporting autistic individuals.
This blog post describes the importance of OTs being trauma-informed and provides example scenarios.
This document offers information and strategies for therapists to address trauma in therapy with individuals with ASD, including in screening, providing psychoeducation, and intervention.
This tool provides an overview of trauma and violence-informed care (TVIC) and offers steps that practitioners and organizations can take to build TVIC into their practice.
This toolkit provides information and resources on trauma informed care for health care providers working in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. The toolkit explores wellness and resiliency of health care providers, including offering self-care practices and exercises, as well as tools and strategies for using a trauma-informed lens when working with clients.
Kim Barthel and Joanne McIntyre discuss trauma, the connection between our brains, bodies, and experiences, including between sensory processing and trauma, and the importance of attunement.
Episode #2 of the Behaviour Speak Podcast, host Ben Reiman speaks with Alexia Sparks, BCBA about autism and trauma. They discuss her 2019 article entitled “Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Experience of Traumatic Events: Review of the Current Literature to Inform Modifications to a Treatment Model for Children with Autism.
This collection of resources by AIDE Canada includes modules and webinars to assist health care providers and individuals to develop a more trauma informed approach that improves understanding, and helps to recognize, and respond to the effects of all types of trauma when supporting autistic individuals.