Trauma-Informed Care and Teamwork

How can speech-language pathologists better support children and families when communication needs intersect with trauma, domestic violence, and family instability? In this episode of First Bite, host Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, FNAP, welcomes Travis Threats, PhD, CCC-SLP, FNAP, an internationally recognized speech-language pathology scholar and ICF expert, and Lisa Jaegers, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, an occupational therapy and trauma-informed care expert, for an honest, interprofessional conversation about supporting children and caregivers experiencing difficult circumstances.

Together, they discuss the prevalence of abuse, how trauma can present differently in children and adults, and why understanding a family's circumstances is essential to providing effective care. They also explore the role of motivational interviewing, community resources, and interprofessional collaboration in supporting families and the clinicians who serve them.

Using a family-centered case scenario, Michelle and her guests examine how SLPs can recognize barriers to care, adapt their approaches, and support meaningful communication and participation without making assumptions or labeling families as "noncompliant." This conversation offers practical considerations for bringing trauma-informed, family-centered care into everyday clinical practice.