A large part of trauma-informed care is something called the ACE test, which stands for adverse childhood experiences.

The test comprises of ten questions that ascertain the types of trauma and different experiences the survivor has faced. If the participant has a high score, it can be a powerful predictor of the physical and mental problems that they may experience in the future.

For example, Winfrey reported that a high score can make you up to five times more likely to be depressed and can even reduce your life expectancy, in some cases as much as 20 years.

The crucial thing that sets this therapy apart is the focus on understanding what has happened to a traumatised children before trying to “fix” their behavior. Speaking with Belinda Pittman-McGee, who runs a family center, Winfrey discussed the importance of asking why someone might feel like they “can’t control impulses” or be aggressive.

Pittman-McGee explained that helping a child “put the pieces together” to understand why they feel and act a certain way, is the key to helping them deal with their trauma.

This is a subject that’s very close to home for Winfrey, who has spoken out about her abusive childhood before, after being raped at the age of nine, molested several times between the ages of 10 and 14, as well as surviving physical abuse.

Hopefully Winfrey’s attempts to spread awareness about the treatment will see it more widely developed and it can benefit more survivors of abuse and trauma.

Images: Getty

Oprah Winfrey thinks this therapy could help survivors of childhood trauma