Beyond Trauma-Informed Care: Addressing Emotional Drivers of Provider Stigma in Substance Use Treatment

Individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) experience disproportionately high rates of trauma exposure across the lifespan. Although trauma-informed care is widely endorsed in behavioral health settings, its application in substance use treatment often focuses on structural principles while overlooking the relational and emotional factors that shape clinical encounters. This interactive 90-minute session explores the psychological and interpersonal mechanisms that influence engagement in SUD treatment, including trauma exposure, shame activation, provider bias, and emotional imprinting. Drawing on psychiatric nursing research, qualitative inquiry with nurses, and outpatient behavioral health practice, this presentation examines how unrecognized emotional responses and countertransference can contribute to stigma, distancing behaviors, and compromised therapeutic alliance. Participants will explore how clinician experiences, beliefs, and emotional reactions influence interactions with individuals living with addiction and dual diagnoses. Practical strategies will be introduced to strengthen reflective awareness, reduce shame activation during clinical encounters, and support trauma-responsive engagement in both brief and longitudinal treatment settings. This work reflects an evolving program of scholarship examining how emotional awareness and reflective practice may improve engagement and reduce stigma in behavioral health care.