Meet TIM: Being trauma informed matters

May 2022 · Forward in Hope, Trauma

Meet TIM! He’s the new mascot for our Trauma Informed Matters initiative, highlighting our focus on understanding the impacts of trauma and how we provide support and services to those affected.

Understanding trauma is one of the underlying foundations of the work Saint Francis Ministries does with the children and families we serve. We also know that our employees also undergo trauma, maybe in their personal lives but also connected to the work they’re doing. We are constantly learning, constantly adapting and always conscious of the short-term and long-term impacts of trauma.

TIM helps us focus on our continual work to be a trauma-informed organization.

“As an organization, we are striving to develop a common language, a common understanding about what it means to be trauma informed,” says Pamela Cornwell, LCMFT, Clinical Director. “When that becomes a part of each person, it affects everything they do and say every day, regardless of who they are with – a client, a coworker, everyone. There’s just this awareness that we never know each day the walk that someone is taking, what adversity they’re experiencing. I have an opportunity to be a support for that person, even if I never know for sure what they’re walking through. It’s really just about kindness, being kind to each other, ultimately.”

The TIM initiative launched last week with a focus on recognizing the supports Saint Francis offers for employees, including group sessions during work that allow them to support each other and extensive employee benefits. In upcoming months, TIM will share self-care tips, educational information about trauma and its impacts, and other helpful information.

As we move forward with TIM, he will widen his focus to include educating about trauma and clients and looking at how we can broaden the Saint Francis culture to better address needs related to trauma impacts.

“Trauma is already a daily part of our work,” Pam says. “We do an excellent job understanding how our clients are affected by trauma because that’s important to helping them. New research continues to be done on trauma and its related impacts, and there is always room to learn more and show up in different ways to help our clients and each other. We’re looking forward to expanding our education.”