Historically, therapy has been based on the therapist being the expert and the client adopting an approach that is suggested by the therapist. 

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With the third wave of psychotherapy (mindfulness based interventions), the focus has shifted to a more collaborative approach whereby the therapist uses strength-based techniques that empower and allow them to make choices that are more in line with client needs. 

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A key point to note in trauma-informed practices is the use of resilience to empower clients because it is likely that trauma survivors have been living in conditions where they have felt less powerful or helpless. Trauma-informed practices highlight the ability of a person to heal, recover and make new meanings from adverse events rather than emphasize the pathology (symptoms) of the person.