Mindfulness Through a Trauma-Informed Lens

Trauma-informed care serves as a guiding light for countless individuals who have endured traumatic experiences. It embodies a benevolent and compassionate approach, with its paramount objective being to avoid inadvertently re-traumatizing trauma survivors. There are many healing practices categorized under an overarching set of practices called "mindfulness" that, although helpful and transformative for many, can retraumatize a survivor if not practiced through a trauma-informed lens.

The American Psychological Association (2023) defines mindfulness as an awareness of one’s internal states and surroundings. Mindfulness is used in therapeutic interventions including mindfulness-based cognitive behavior therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness practices have been integrated into many settings, including schools, businesses, hospitals, veterans' services, and prisons.

Trauma survivors may experience a multitude of sensory reminders.

When someone undergoes a traumatic event, the resulting memory may not be neatly encoded as a coherent narrative of what transpired. For many survivors, a multitude of sensory triggers can serve as reminders of the event, etched into the body's memory. When the body signals potential danger, it can transport a person back to the traumatic experience, making it feel as if it is unfolding in the present.

Scare (2005) creatively referred to these multi-sensory reminders as a "memory capsule" containing all the sensory elements of the traumatic incident. This memory capsule remains dormant within the body, seemingly unaffected by the constraints of time and space. It lies in wait, dormant until a sensory trigger rekindles its release. At that moment, the person is engulfed by the sensation that a trauma, which may have occurred years ago, is transpiring in the present. The challenge for survivors is that this memory often lacks integration into a coherent narrative. Consequently, survivors may abruptly find themselves thrust into a state of fear, distress, and hypervigilance that appears to manifest "out of nowhere" yet is actually triggered by a memory capsule activated by a multi-sensory cue beyond their conscious awareness.

When engaging in mindfulness practice, one's attention to present sensations may unexpectedly connect with a traumatic experience. In such instances, some individuals may enter a state of distress that proves difficult to shake off. In a trauma-informed approach, the individual is given the choice to either notice these sensations or redirect their focus. Consequently, a trauma survivor dealing with distress can opt for alternative wellness practices, such as taking a walk or utilizing other coping skills to alleviate the distress within their body. This approach prioritizes providing options and autonomy to individuals healing from trauma.

Providing choice regarding closing one's eyes and directed breath.

Numerous mindfulness techniques commence with a directive to close one's eyes and then guide an individual to engage in deep, diaphragmatic breathing. While there exists substantial literature highlighting the advantages of "breathing strategies" (Zacarro 2018), it is imperative for trauma survivors to recognize that not all mindfulness practices are guaranteed to aid in self-regulation and the restoration of equilibrium.

However, by affording trauma survivors an invitation, and the option to decide whether or not to partake in various elements of mindfulness practice, they gain the ability to tailor the practice to accommodate any potential triggers stemming from their traumatic experiences. This invitation and choice can be presented at the outset of the practice, allowing individuals to choose whether, for example, they wish to open or close their eyes based on their comfort level. For some, closing their eyes may inadvertently evoke traumatic memories. In addition, when we invite the person to participate or not, the person has the freedom to make this choice, which then empowers them to engage or refrain from specific components of the practice.

Our breath is connected to our vitality, and to life itself, and yet for some, focusing on the breath can be distressing. It is crucial to acknowledge that focusing on one's breath does not universally yield positive outcomes. Many mindfulness exercises commence by instructing individuals to take deep breaths, but for trauma survivors who may possess fragmented recollection of traumatic events, or none, directing attention to the breath can induce panic. This occurs because, for some individuals, the act of noticing their breath serves as a multi-sensory trigger connected to the traumatic memories stored within their memory capsule. Even the seemingly innocuous act of acknowledging their breath can evoke a distressing body memory of a traumatic event.

When a practice is linked to recalling a pleasant memory of a past experience, the person will often spontaneously take a deeper breath. This is an alternate, trauma-informed way to bring breath awareness through a body memory that is connected to an uplifting or calming personal experience without directing breath.

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Children and Mindfulness Practices

It is imperative for those educators implementing wellness programs for children in schools to incorporate mindfulness exercises through a trauma-informed perspective. Research suggests that as many as two-thirds of children in the United States have encountered significant childhood traumas, such as abuse, neglect, natural disasters, or exposure to violence, making trauma one of the most pressing public health concerns for young people (CDC, 2023). To mitigate the possibility of unintentionally triggering traumatic reactions, it is crucial to offer a diverse array of wellness practices for children.

Additionally, considering a child's cultural background and heritage can provide an equitable framework for teaching wellness skills. By offering choices to children in how mindfulness practices are introduced and engaging them in their opinions and experiences, educators can further reduce the risk of inadvertently causing distress. When we make an erroneous assumption that mindfulness practices will help all children, we risk shaming a child. If, for example, taking a directed deeper breath sparks a traumatic body memory, a child may become more distressed and not know why. Duane (2021) states that by listening and honoring the invitation-only process, we can respect students’ humanity and needs.

Conclusion

Mindfulness practices are powerful approaches to healing and restoring equilibrium to the body and the mind and, when coupled with trauma-informed perspectives, can provide solace to trauma survivors.