The Sanctuary Model

The Sanctuary® Model is a treatment and organizational model based on understanding trauma and its impact on individuals and organizations. The Sanctuary® Model is a continuous process that creates healthy, therapeutic living communities for our residents, as well as healthy, therapeutic working communities for staff and partners. It is important to understand that although specific tools are used in the Sanctuary® Model, it is a continuously evolving process. It challenges each individual involved in the life of a child to examine old models of thinking, behavior management, conflict resolution, and crisis intervention and begin to develop a trauma-informed view and approach to working with traumatized children.

Sanctuary uses S.E.L.F as a framework for creating such an environment. S.E.L.F. is a map for the healing journey. This map considers the following when working with families and managing our organization

1. Safety
2. Emotional Management
3. Loss
4. Future

When a person or an organization experiences a traumatic event it leads to loss. Loss causes overwhelming emotions when such feelings are not managed appropriately they can often lead to unsafe behaviors which in turn can affect a person’s future.

• Understanding the effects of trauma and loss on individuals and/or organizations helps people & organizations to grow and change
• A trauma-informed environment asks “What happened to you?” rather than “What’s wrong with you?”
• Children who have experienced trauma and loss can benefit from a trauma-informed environment
• Working with highly traumatized clients can cause “vicarious trauma” and stress for the organization and the workers who provide the service. If we do not address our organizational trauma and stress we run the risk of becoming part of the problem.
• Sanctuary is a guide for changing our organizational structure to assist children and families in recovering from their trauma.