Art of Awareness was founded on July 1, 2005, with a clear purpose: to create a space where healing begins not with labels, but with listening. Our guiding belief has always been that mental health care must address the root causes of distress—not just the symptoms. Over the past two decades, this vision has grown into a thriving practice grounded in Trauma-Informed Mental Health Care, systems-level integrity, and the belief that every person’s story matters.
Rooted in Reform: From AMHI to Today
In 1990, a landmark class action lawsuit exposed widespread client abuse and neglect at the Augusta MentalHealth Institute (AMHI) in Maine. The court-ordered AMHI Consent Decree followed, mandating statewide reform of Maine’s mental health system to ensure humane, accountable, and rights-based care.
This Consent Decree remained in place for 34 years, and it wasn’t until 2024 that the state was deemed to have met the threshold of “substantial compliance.” The longevity of this decree reflects just how deeply rooted—and resistant to change—systemic failures have been in our mental health infrastructure.
At a time when trauma was rarely named in clinical spaces, our founder, Ida O’Donnell, LCSW, stepped in to help shift that paradigm. In the wake of AMHI’s exposure, she worked directly with state leaders to co-create trauma-informed models of care that prioritized safety, transparency, and survivor dignity. This included designing and implementing Maine’s first trauma-informed Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)—an early example of what would become her lifelong commitment to systems-level healing.
The relevance of this work is not historical—it’s immediate. That the AMHI Consent Decree was only just dismissed in 2024 reveals how urgently trauma-informed care is still needed, not just in Maine, but across the nation. Despite decades of advocacy, many clinical environments continue to treat symptoms while missing the story behind them.
What Is Trauma-Informed Care?
Trauma-Informed Care (TIC) is not a method. It’s a mindset—an organizational commitment to recognize the impact of trauma, prevent re-traumatization, and foster healing through trust and choice.
As defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), trauma-informed care:
- Realizes the widespread effects of trauma and understands potential recovery paths
- Recognizes the signs and symptoms in clients, families, and staff
- Responds by weaving trauma knowledge into every part of care
- Resists re-traumatization through safe, respectful, and empowering practices
At Art of Awareness, these principles are not aspirational—they areoperational. They guide our intake processes, therapy modalities, team supervision, administrative systems, and even the feel of our physical space.
Six Core Principles We Live By
Every team member—clinical and administrative—is trained in SAMHSA’s six foundational principles of trauma-informed care:
- Safety: Physical and emotional safety is prioritized at every interaction.
- Trust & Transparency: Clients are informed participants in their care—not passive recipients.
- Peer Support: Lived experience is honored in both clinical work and staff development.
- Collaboration & Mutuality: We minimize power differentials and foster mutual respect.
- Empowerment, Voice & Choice: We honor autonomy, build on strengths, and support each person’s right to lead their healing.
- Cultural Humility & Responsiveness: We acknowledge systemic, historical, and intergenerational trauma, with a deep commitment to anti-oppressive and intersectional practice.
A Model That Evolves With You
Trauma-informed care is not a one-size-fits-all model—it evolves as trust deepens andhealing unfolds. Our clinicians approach care with patience, flexibility, and respect for each client’s pace. Every journey includes:
- A lifespan-informed exploration of your lived experience
- Psychoeducation to help understand and manage symptoms
- Structured yet adaptable pathways to safety and stabilization
- Integrative modalities that support meaning-making and long-term resilience
This approach is supported by our in-house case conceptualization framework, ensuring consistency and ethical depth across all levels of care.
Trauma-Informed at Every Level
Too often, trauma-informed care is seen as a clinical technique rather than a full-spectrum organizational value. At Art of Awareness, we’ve built a practice where trauma-informed care is lived—not just talked about.
We are committed to:
- Hiring and supporting staff who embody trauma-informed values
- Prioritizing clinician wellness to prevent burnout and vicarious trauma
- Building transparent systems that uphold client dignity and trust
- Designing inclusive, calming, and accessible physical environments
Why It Matters
In a world where trauma is widespread and often invisible, trauma-informed care remains far too rare. Mental health systems frequently prioritize efficiency over empathy—missing the deeper stories behind distress.
The 2024 conclusion of the AMHI Consent Decree should not be seen as the end of the story—it should be a call to deepen our commitment to care that is relational, responsive, and respectful.
At Art of Awareness, we don’t just treat symptoms—we support people in reclaiming their voice, their story, and their right to heal. This is what sets us apart.
Thank You for Reading Our First Blog Post
This marks the launch of our Art of Awareness blog, where we’ll be sharing reflections on trauma-informed care, integrative clinical practices, and the evolving landscape of mental health.
We look forward to posting more insights soon—ranging from therapeutic frameworks to holistic tools for healing.
Whether you’re a client, clinician, or community partner, we’re glad you’re here.
Stay tuned.