What Every Provider Should Know: A Trauma -Informed Guide for Healthcare Professionals

Every patient carries a story—some visible, many hidden beneath the surface. For survivors of sexual assault, even a routine medical visit can feel overwhelming, triggering fear, silence, or distress. What Every Provider Should Know equips healthcare professionals across every specialty to create safe, compassionate, trauma-informed environments where patients feel seen, heard, and supported. Drawing on more than twenty-six years of nursing experience, Sexual Assault Nurse & Coach Marie McKenzie introduces her powerful R.I.S.E. Framework—Recognize trauma, Initiate safe care, Support healing, Empower recovery. With practical guidance, real scenarios, trauma-informed communication strategies, and actionable steps, this book shows providers how to offer care that restores trust and dignity. You will learn how to: • Recognize hidden signs of trauma in everyday practice • Respond with empathy to verbal and non-verbal disclosures • Create safer spaces in hospitals, clinics, and private practices • Reduce re-traumatization during routine interactions • Communicate in ways that support healing and emotional safety • Strengthen your confidence, compassion, and clinical impact Whether you are a nurse, physician, therapist, dentist, medical resident, counselor, or allied health professional, this guide will help you show up with confidence, clarity, and compassion—one interaction at a time. This essential resource is designed to transform healthcare culture, elevate patient experience, and support survivors on their journey toward healing.