Glossary of Terms

NC Common Language Definitions

The following definitions were adapted from the NCPC Landscape Analysis, Kellin Report, NCTSN, and other sources and reviewed by members of the NC Healthy & Resilient Communities State Advisory Council. Additional sources are noted.

(click the term to reveal the definition)

Adversity & Trauma

Adversity

Adversity refers to a wide range of circumstances posing a threat to the health and well-being of children, families and communities. Adversity can connect to the concept of the four realms of ACEs which refers to Adverse Childhood Experiences, Adverse Community Environments/experiences, Adverse Climate Experiences and Atrocious Cultural Experiences. Adversity In the context of trauma-informed communities work refers to any experience that can have a strong correlation to poor health and/or social outcome across the lifespan.

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs):

ACES are potentially traumatic events that occur before the age of 18 that increase the risk of negative, lasting effects on a person’s health and well-being.  Examples include physical, emotional, sexual abuse, neglect, interpersonal violence, homelessness, parental substance use, unmanaged parental mental illness, medical crisis, and caregiver absence through separation, divorce, incarceration, or death. (Alberta Family Wellness Brain Story)

Adverse Community Environments/Experiences

Adverse Community Environments are characteristics of a community which are traumatic in and of themselves and can exacerbate individual level trauma.  Examples include food desserts, structural racism, inequity and discrimination, lack of affordable housing, social isolation, lack of economic opportunity and mobility, police violence, gun violence, poverty, neglected infrastructure, etc. (Alberta Family Wellness Brain Story)

Adverse Climate Experiences

Adverse climate experiences are environmental conditions or events that impact or exacerbate community conditions such as weather events, COVID-19, environmental injustice, and pollution. As the earth warms, climate change events such as wildfires, droughts, hurricanes and floods will increase in number and become more severe.

Atrocious Cultural Experiences

Atrocious Cultural Experiences refer to historical trauma that continue to impact ACEs experienced by many cultural groups. This trauma creates a change in the body that can be long-lasting through multiple generations, resulting in social norms such as low sense of political and social efficacy, mistrust fear, and hopelessness. Examples include colonization, genocide, slavery, forced family separation, sanctioned attacks on bodies, removal of property/land, denial of basic human rights, segregation and harmful social norms.

Community Violence

Community Violence is exposure by a community to a behavior or action intended to harm another person or group. Examples include bullying, riots, gang violence, mass shootings, massacres, and historic trauma.

Community

Community

A simple definition of community is a group having a particular characteristic in common. Building community is the complex work of gathering a group of people with diverse characteristics who share common perspectives and goals, linking them through social ties and supportive relationships, and engaging them in joint action in geographical locations or settings. (National Library of Medicine)

Community Collaborative or Coalition

Community Collaboratives or Coalitions refers to a group of organizations, residents, and other entities that convene regularly and represent diverse perspectives in a geographically defined area. In the context of trauma-informed/resilient communities, a community collaborative or coalition will leverage the science of ACEs, trauma, and resilience to build relationships, increase awareness, and work together to create strategies that promote reduction of trauma (all 4 realms) and promote healing within the greater community.

Cross-Sector Collaboration

A process where various community organizations representing multiple systems come together to collectively focus their expertise and resources on a complex issue of importance to a community they serve.

Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) & Vicarious Trauma

Compassion Fatigue

Compassion fatigue is the gradual, but profound, physical, and mental exhaustion and emotional withdrawal experienced by those who care for or serve others. (Merriam Webster; The Chadwick Center 2016)

Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS)
Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) is a syndrome where individuals (often service providers) experience actual trauma symptoms such as intrusion, avoidance, and arousal due to indirect exposure to trauma. Symptoms of STS can resemble those of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Vicarious Trauma
Vicarious Trauma is the emotional distress that can be experienced when someone is exposed to disturbing images or another person’s difficult stories. Individuals in “helping professions,” such as social workers, teachers, first responders, etc. are prone to exposure to vicarious trauma. BIPOC communities are also prone to vicarious trauma through secondary exposure to racial violence (news, social media, etc).

Diversity & Inclusion

Diversity

Diversity is the practice of valuing representation from different and unique social identities, characteristics, experiences, and perspectives from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, etc. A core value of Diversity is honoring individuality and protecting the dignity of all. (Atrium Health Baptist)

Epigenetics
Epigenetics is the study of how your behaviors and your environment can affect the way your genes are expressed. For example, trauma experienced in a previous generation can change the way genes show up in current and future generations. (CDC)
Equality
Equality is the act of giving everyone the same regardless of their need or circumstances. Equality does not recognize different needs or additional barriers individuals may face.
Equity
Equity is when every individual, family, organization, and community has a fair and just opportunity to attain the highest level of well-being. Achieving this requires focused and ongoing societal efforts and personal reflection to address historical and contemporary injustices; overcome economic, social and other obstacles to full participation in society; and eliminate preventable disparities. In contrast, equality provides the same supports to all, no matter what their needs happen to be. From National Prevention Science Foundation
Historical Trauma
Historical Trauma are past events such as genocide, slavery, forced relocation, family separation and destruction of cultural practices. It is a cumulative and collective biological, psychological, emotional trauma experienced by a specific cultural, racial or ethnic group that is carried across generations. Historical Trauma has created and continues to impact today’s adverse structural and social consequences. (University of MN Extension)
Implicit Bias

Implicit bias is when we have attitudes towards people or associate stereotypes with them without our conscious knowledge. Everyone has implicit bias, so self-awareness of the ways in which these biases affect our thoughts and actions is important.

Inclusion

Inclusion is a state of being recognized, valued, respected and supported. It’s about focusing on the needs of every individual and ensuring the right conditions are in place for each person to achieve their full potential. Historically, the term inclusion has referred to populations who have not had equal validation or access to resources and opportunities. The opposite of inclusion is exclusion.

Lived Experience
Lived experience refers to a personal lens of knowledge gained by direct, involvement in life experiences rather than through the lens of assumptions or perceived beliefs made by providers not directly involved in the event or the system.

Resilience

Community Resilience

Community resilience is the capacity to promote safe, secure and nurturing environments for all particularly those most vulnerable. A resilient community provides comprehensive and accessible resources, empowers relationships that promote health and well-being, works to reduce adversity, and transforms institutions and organizations to heal from trauma.

Family Resilience
Family resilience refers the family’s ability to maintain or resume effective functioning including care of its members, following potentially traumatic events. Family resilience will vary depending on several factors: the challenge from current stressors, the level of pre-existing stress and everyday hassles, the family’s coping skills, and the resources available from family members as well as other sources such as the community. Community and cultural context can influence family resilience. (NCTSN)
Individual Resilience
Individual resilience is a lifelong process of building one’s ability to overcome stress, hardship and adversity. Exercising these skills can improve functioning in their family, with peers and in society, as well as maintaining psychological and physical wellbeing. The resilience strategies and coping systems that are most effective may vary by the individual.
Organizational Resilience
Like communities and individuals, organizations can also experience stress and trauma. A resilient organization anticipates, prepares for, responds and adapts to hardship so it can thrive, prosper and serve its clientele well. (adapted from the Business Community Institute)
Positive Childhood Experiences – (PCEs)
Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) are experiences during childhood that promote safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments. These relationships and environments are essential to creating positive childhood experiences and preventing adverse childhood experiences. (CDC)
Resilience
See Community, Individual, Family, and Organizational Resilience.

Stress Response System

Stress-Response System
Commonly known as “Fight, Flight or Freeze,” the stress response system releases hormones to prepare the body to deal with threats or stressors. In the presence of something that is terrifying either mentally or physically, the response could include increased heart or respiratory rates, digestive changes, sweat production, and behavioral changes such as hypervigilance. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Positive Stress
Positive Stress is a normal and essential part of the stress response system, characterized by moderate and short-lived increases in heart rate, and mild elevations in stress hormone levels. It can help motivate individuals to accomplish tasks and achieve goals. An example might be giving a presentation at work or a car in front of you slamming on their brakes. Adapted from Harvard Center for the Developing Child
Tolerable Stress
Tolerable stress is severe stress that is time-limited and occurs in the context of supportive relationships that help buffer its effects and facilitate adaptive coping. Tolerable stress does not produce long-lasting damage to the body. (Harvard Center on the Developing Child)
Toxic Stress
Toxic Stress is the extreme, frequent, or extended activation of the stress response system resulting in the body failing to fully recover, which may lead to negative psychological or physical outcomes across the lifespan. Toxic stress is amplified when there is an absence of protective buffers and responsive relationships.
Positive Childhood Experiences – (PCEs)
Positive Childhood Experiences (PCEs) are experiences during childhood that promote safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and environments. These relationships and environments are essential to creating positive childhood experiences and preventing adverse childhood experiences. (CDC)
Resilience
See Community, Individual, Family, and Organizational Resilience.

Trauma-Informed

Stress-Response System
Commonly known as “Fight, Flight or Freeze,” the stress response system releases hormones to prepare the body to deal with threats or stressors. In the presence of something that is terrifying either mentally or physically, the response could include increased heart or respiratory rates, digestive changes, sweat production, and behavioral changes such as hypervigilance. (American Academy of Pediatrics)
Trauma-Informed Organization

A trauma-informed organization implements a trauma-informed approach in everything they do. There are 10 organizational domains where this is applicable:

  1. Governance and Leadership,
  2. Policy,
  3. Physical Environment,
  4. Engagement and Involvement,
  5. Cross-Sector Collaboration,
  6. Screening, Assessment and Treatment when indicated,
  7. Training and Workforce Development,
  8. Progress Monitoring and Quality Assurance,
  9. Financing, and
  10. Evaluation.

(SAMHSA)

Trauma Lens

As if putting on a new pair of glasses, a Trauma Lens always has trauma at the forefront to recognize trauma as a potential cause and/or effect to one’s behaviors and neurological, psychological, social and biological outcomes. Rather than looking at what is wrong with a person, we shift to asking, what happened to you? (Bruce Perry) A trauma lens provides a map for exploring, discovering and understanding oneself and other humans.

Jump to Definitions Regarding:

Community
Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) & Vicarious Trauma
Diversity & Inclusion
Resilience
Stress Response System
Trauma-Informed

 

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