Empowerment

noun
 
em·​pow·​er·​ment | \ im-ˈpau̇(-ə)r-mənt \
 
plural empowerments
 
Definition of empowerment
1 : the act or action of empowering someone or something : the granting of the power, right, or authority to
    perform various acts or duties
2 : the state of being empowered to do something : the power, right, or authority to do something
Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Empowerment. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved March 15, 2020, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empowerment
Recovery starts with empowerment.

Like trauma, recovery and empowerment look different for everyone.

What do we mean by empowerment?

We mean to assist you with gaining a sense of power and control back in yourself and your life after experiencing trauma. The Manitoba Trauma Information & Education Centre (2013) states that, “Central to the experience of trauma is helplessness, isolation and the loss of power and control. The guiding principles of trauma recovery are the restoration of safety and empowerment.”
We strive to empower individuals, families and communities by:
  • Providing information, education and resources on trauma
  • Providing trauma-informed counselling by a licensed therapist
  • Providing emotional support and encouragement
  • Providing a safe space for all people
  • Providing culturally relevant resources
  • Increasing level of self-awareness and self-understanding
  • Increasing sense of personal control
  • Building healthy coping strategies and techniques 
SURVIVOR EMPOWERMENT starts when we learn:
  • How trauma has impacted our brain and nervous system and how to reverse those changes
  • The quirks and tics in our behavior are not because we are crazy, broken or irreconcilably different but that these are normal responses to abnormal circumstances
  • What is abnormal is the pain, betrayal and shame of abuse
  • There is hope presented by neuroplasticity, the ability to regulate our emotions, form new mental habits and release trauma stored in our bodies, and when we rediscover trust through safe, stable nurturing relationships
  • How purpose and meaning contributes to post-traumatic growth
  • Advocating for ourselves releases us from silence, shame, and the lack of power and control we experienced during the trauma and continues to cast us as victims
SURVIVOR WISDOM means that  we can use our stories to bring the science to life and illustrate for survivors, supporters and service professionals alike how trauma and resilience shows up in our daily lives. It means we have compassion and insight that has been acquired at great cost and is not available in a book.
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SURVIVOR PERSPECTIVE says we are not the sum of our deficits, we are actually incredibly brave, adaptive people. By very definition we are resilient or WE WOULD NOT BE HERE. By ‘othering’ us, you add to the shame and stigma. Even the term trauma-informed ‘care’ suggests professionals have the resources to help us and we have none. If professionals advocate for us instead of empowering us and elevating our voices, understand that once again we suffer the loss of power and control we experienced during trauma.

​Adapted from https://www.echotraining.org/survivorempowerment/
The National Empowerment Centre's website list a number of qualities that comprise empowerment:
  1. Having decision-making power.
  2. Having access to information and resources.
  3. Having a range of options from which to make choices (not just yes/no, either/or.)
  4. Assertiveness.
  5. A feeling that the individual can make a difference (being hopeful).
  6. Learning to think critically; learning the conditioning; seeing things differently; e.g.,
    1. Learning to redefine who we are (speaking in our own voice).
    2. Learning to redefine what we can do.
    3. Learning to redefine our relationships to institutionalized power.
  7. Learning about and expressing anger.
  8. Not feeling alone; feeling part of a group.
  9. Understanding that people have rights.
  10. Effecting change in one’s life and one’s community.
  11. Learning skills (e.g., communication) that the individual defines as important.
  12. Changing others’ perceptions of one’s competency and capacity to act.
  13. Coming out of the closet.
  14. Growth and change that is never ending and self-initiated.
  15. Increasing one’s positive self-image and overcoming stigma.​
​Adapted from https://power2u.org/a-working-definition-of-empowerment/
PRINCIPLES:  Principles of Empowerment
  • All people are created equal.
  • Leadership is based upon integrity, character, ethic, talent, and skill.
  • Honesty is the highest character value.
  • Deceit must be eliminated from all systems.
  • The human spirit is the highest priority.
  • All systems must serve people.
  • New systems must be created that value the human spirit and promote its development.
  • The highest, the only, priority of government, business, churches, and families is to serve people.
  • The individual must be empowered to serve; all who are not empowered drain the system of its most valuable resource.
  • True empowerment is real equality. Democracy is its product. 
​         http://www.humanempowerment.org/principles-of-empowerment