Trauma Healing Together, which founder Roxanne Kerr launched in 2020, supports people who are living with psychological trauma. The charity improves clients’ quality of life through a blended approach including one-to-one therapy, wellbeing groups, personal development training and participation in research to shape future services.
From day one, the charity has operated within The Atholl Approach®, a framework Roxanne created that sets the ‘gold standard’ required when dealing with all trauma survivors, regardless of presentation or diagnosis.
By having The Atholl Approach at its core, the charity is fully inclusive, minimising dropout rates and improving service user outcomes so people can live healthier and better lives.
Now, based on the lived experience feedback from clients, Roxanne is looking to roll out The Atholl Approach to other local organisations who, whether they know it or not, are engaging with trauma survivors.
Roxanne explained, “We know, from years of client feedback, that many services people need to engage with, whether the benefits office, job centre or their GP practice, are failing them. Before coming to Trauma Healing Together, an average client spent 11.5 years seeking support for their mental health, received 10 GP appointments, 11 appointments with the mental health team, 19 sessions of talking therapy, 18 sessions with a psychiatrist and spent seven days in hospital for their mental health.
“More often than not, people struggling with trauma are treated like a number, not a person, and feel unheard. If you’re already battling the effects of trauma and facing endless hurdles to get to where you need to be, an organisation’s response to you can lead to disastrous consequences. From a downward spiral triggering a severe mental health response to unintended aggression, the response can, in turn, create other problems for broader society, not to mention the cost implications for the NHS.
“Unlike training, which needs to be renewed and can be forgotten, The Atholl Approach is a practical framework that organisations can embed into the delivery and design of their service. Essentially, it shows how a trauma-informed service should work, from how they handle referrals to follow-up, including communication at all stages, whether verbal or written. Having this at the heart of your service means you will benefit that individual, get them where they need to be and minimise frustration and upset among those you are there to support.”
Based on up-to-date trauma research, The Atholl Approach covers nine simple components, and to become Atholl Approach-informed, organisations must embed all nine into their service from the referral/intake process to the service delivery, evaluation and follow-up.
To become Atholl Approach Informed, an organisation is required to complete an application to demonstrate that its service meets the requirements set out by the nine principles of the approach. Trauma Healing Together can also provide consultancy support and training to organisations to help them embed the principles into their service delivery.
Roxanne added, “Trauma overwhelms a person’s ability to cope with a traumatic event – it consumes and overwhelms them. However, you might not know who they are. They don’t wear a badge and may never have been diagnosed.
“Just like an organisation might be disability friendly, we believe they should be trauma-informed. Whether you’re working in a mental health organisation, job centre, Citizen Advice Bureau, the emergency services or a prison, you will be dealing with trauma survivors. And while staff may have gone through trauma training, they may still have their own biases. But, if a process is in place, it shows you what to do, right down to the detail of how you phrase your email or answer the phone. Clients will feel validated, that they’re being heard, and that the organisation cares about them when they’ve never had a voice. The organisation can showcase its dedication to enhancing client outcomes, leading to reduced drop-out rates, while also demonstrating its commitment to addressing the needs of trauma survivors through the provision of high-quality, trauma-informed care.
Kelly Campbell from Perth, former client turned peer support worker, commented, “When I connected with Trauma Healing Together, the combination of one-to-one trauma therapy alongside group sessions really worked for me. It was that feeling of connecting with others who understand, where I could learn to value myself, set coping strategies and healthy boundaries. The safe and supportive environment allowed me to explore my emotions and, ultimately, to become a peer support worker where I could use my own experiences to help others.”
Trauma Healing Together is hosting two workshops on The Atholl Approach during February 2025 – to register, visit https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/trauma-healing-together-60048849003.
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