Working With Families Experiencing Homelessness Understanding Trauma and Its Impact

Abstract

The prevalence of traumatic stress in the lives of families who are homeless is extraordinarily high. Often these families are headed by single mothers who have experienced ongoing trauma in the form of childhood abuse and neglect, domestic violence, and community violence, as well as the trauma associated with poverty and the loss of home, safety, and sense of security. These experiences have a significant impact on how children and adults think, feel, behave, cope, and relate to others. Given the high rates of traumatic exposure among families who are homeless, understanding trauma and its impact is essential to providing quality care. Becoming trauma-informed requires that service providers tailor their services to meet the unique needs of trauma survivors and avoid additional harm. In this article the authors explore the impact of trauma on families experiencing homelessness and