Traumatic experiences can have life-long effects on a person’s health, well-being, and longevity. Preventing trauma and addressing its harmful sequelae require reorienting patient care, clinical operations, organizations, and community engagement to support resilience and healing. An approach informed by cultural humility that addresses unequal power imbalances and asks the question, “What happened to you?” rather than “What’s wrong with you?”, trauma-informed care promotes health equity in direct patient care, organizations, and communities. This chapter presents the foundational principles and mission of trauma-informed care and a practical framework called the 4 Cs (Calm, Contain, Care, and Cope) to transform theory into practice.
