The heart of medicine is healing. Ultimately, the goal of working with patients (and their families) is to support, encourage and move toward healing, together. Just as in all professions, as we become more aware of new information we have to adapt, continuing to keep the larger mission at the forefront of practice.
“A consensus of scientific research demonstrates that cumulative adversity, especially when experienced during critical and sensitive periods of development, is a root cause to some of the most harmful, persistent, and expensive health challenges facing our state and nation.”
- ACEs Aware
The trauma of the past informs the issues of today whether we name it or not. Trauma exists in the hearts, minds, and bodies of so many of our patients. We have the opportunity to help them write the next, more restorative chapters of their lives. Education and awareness about adverse childhood experiences are the critical first steps in understanding a patient’s story.
ACEs screening can help us connect and collaborate with patients in pursuit of wellness. This is the driver forDr. Nadine Burke Harris’ work as the first CA Surgeon General in leading system reform that recognizes and responds to the effects that ACEs have on our biological systems and addresses the lifelong impacts of ACEs.
Trauma screening is both prevention and intervention. Within the screening itself, we have the opportunity to connect and be a caring buffer to a patient's stressors. Through teachable moments, by educating people about the effects of trauma and offering new possibilities, we have the chance to disrupt the perpetuation of multigenerational trauma. However, a complexity to this new intervention is that trauma screening can bring up old wounds for the provider themselves. With these very personal conversations, providers can see themselves in their patients and be triggered by their own story. It can be hard to remain centered and regulated. Vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and the ghosts of our own past can show up.
Providers need new strategies for their own health and healing. Providers must be given permission and invitation to develop their skills to nurture themselves and care for their own wellness so that they can model and coach it for others. Just as the science tells about trauma, the science helps guide us with practices and skills for mitigating stress as well. The tendency of providers to be hyper-caretakers is where both our peril and hope exist. Providers have to attend to their own needs first, or the network of care will not be sustainable for those who actually are the fibers of community safety nets.
The ACEs Aware initiative comes at a perfect time to investigate ourselves and the current medical model. There is no app that replaces people. We cannot rationalize ourselves out of the fact that healing is done with and through people. It is our collective opportunity to be — and become — the network of care that we are needing. How can we be supportive, nurturing, and empathetic to one another? We are being called to add more humanity and connectivity to how we care for and support ourselves and those we serve.
“Working together, we can heal ourselves and generations to come. It’s all of us; We are the cure.” - Dovetail Learning
By Bryan Clement, Director of Program and Partnerships, Dovetail Learning
For more information about Dovetail Learning and our open educational resources, please visit our website, here.
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