Our Trauma-Informed Principles
At Collective Being, we believe trauma-informed practice is much more than a set of tools or a buzz word - it’s a way of relating to others, to systems, and to ourselves.
Over the past 9 years, we’ve delivered body-based programs across hospitals, community centres, schools, and complex care settings, with a focus on reaching people and communities who are often excluded from mainstream mental health support.
Alongside this work, we’ve trained hundreds of practitioners, and have engaged in research, collaborated with survivors, and drawn on diverse fields - from somatics and education to systems theory and social justice, to shape our approach. What we’ve learned again and again is that true trauma-informed practice is relational, justice-oriented, and responsive to context.
With such deep and sustained community practice behind us, we wanted to share our principles of trauma-informed practice - in the hope that they can support others in their work too.
If you are navigating your own journey as a trauma-informed practitioner, we hope these principles resonate. They reflect what we’ve learned from our participants, our collaborators, and the communities we walk alongside. We share them as a living document, shaped by practice and held with care.
If they feel meaningful to you, we’d love to hear how they land. And if they don’t, we’re open to that too - please feel welcome to share your reflections with us.
Our principles of trauma-informed practice
Embodiment is a human right
Every person has the right to experience their body as a place of agency, safety, and expression (Gray, 2017). Systemic violence and trauma can affect a person’s nervous system, brain, and hormonal systems - creating a flow-on effect to physical health, mental health, and social relationships. Likewise, structural and cultural violences such as transphobia, ableism, racism, and misogyny can make it unsafe for people to live fully embodied lives. In trauma-informed practice, we recognise that embodiment is a human right, and we aim to create the conditions for people to rebuild internal safety and connection through nervous system awareness, psychoeducation, relational support, and most importantly - systemic change.
Expect difference, not sameness
Beginning with an expectation of difference (Ortiz, 2013) means recognising and normalising diverse access and inclusion needs as a baseline, not an exception. In practice, this involves anticipating variation in physical accessibility, sensory preferences, cultural contexts, and definitions of safety in every setting. Rather than assuming sameness, trauma-informed practitioners are committed to co-design and person-centred practice.
Survivors are resilient, and capable
As opposed to viewing people through a deficit or diagnostic lens, trauma-informed practice starts from the assumption that behaviour is adaptive, not dysfunctional. People’s responses, including shutdown, overwhelm, or withdrawal, are understood as meaningful survival strategies that deserve respect. Trauma-informed practitioners hold space for people’s resilience, creativity, and capacity as they navigate risk, recovery, and connection on the healing journey.
Move at the pace of trust
Body-based practice is built on trust - trust in self, trust in others, and trust in the systems and services we are engaging with. That trust cannot be rushed, forced, or demanded (brown, 2017). As practitioners, we respect that bodies hold stories, memories, and protective responses that may not be ready to shift immediately. As much as possible, we offer invitations and options. By slowing down, honouring hesitation, and celebrating small moments of connection, we allow trust to grow naturally over time.
Relational repair is a shared responsibility
Trauma often occurs in the context of relationships - either through neglect, abuse, exclusion, or systemic harm. When relating with survivors, TI practitioners model attunement, boundaries, and responsiveness, not as “experts,” but as humans in a shared space (Emerson, 2015). We accept that we may make mistakes, and stay open to repair. Safety is not only an internal state, it is a relational dynamic we build together.
Commitment to systems-level safety, dignity and justice for survivors
Trauma-informed work is not just about individual healing, it’s also about changing the conditions that make healing necessary. This means naming and addressing systemic violence, institutional harm, and the ongoing legacies of colonisation, racism, poverty, and neglect. As trauma-informed practitioners, we advocate for policies, practices, and cultures that uphold the dignity and safety of survivors at every level, not just in the room, but in the systems people must live and work within.
With care,
The Collective Being team
