Creating a Trauma-Informed Work Environment

Trainer:  Bianca Bentzin

Many people in the workplace have experienced traumatic experiences or profound grief and loss. These types of difficult experiences can affect a person’s physical health, mental health, and ability to be productive at work.  Work environments which ignore the role that trauma and grief can play in the lives of employees and customers are at risk for reduction in productivity, profits and performance.  Becoming trauma-informed can help improve professional connections, increase safety, and maintain valuable employees.

This training will teach you and your coworkers how to use compassion and empathy to engage with those suffering from trauma or profound grief or loss.  Through empathic understanding we can create an environment where we can connect with coworkers, clients and customers and, when necessary, help de-escalate situations where trauma survivors may be showing signs of feeling emotionally overwhelmed or triggered. Key points include:

• What is a trauma-informed work environment?
• Truths about trauma, grief and loss.
• The role adverse childhood experiences plays in the adult experience.
• The connection between trauma and anger.
• Awareness of compassion fatigue and secondary trauma.
• Strategies to use in the workplace to be compassionate to those suffering from trauma and/or profound grief or loss.

Bianca Bentzin is a government attorney in Austin, Texas and also has a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy.

To request training, please contact Bianca at [email protected].