Resilience Tip: Trauma & Resilience

Posted on March 3, 2021 by LeadingAge

Featuring Dr. Alyson VanAhn from Associated Clinic of Psychology

In senior care, many of us are doubling up on trauma exposure, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is one thing to experience a traumatic event personally—and another to do this in addition to watching others cope with trauma daily. This can have negative effects on our well-being. Fortunately, we can experience post-traumatic stress without this becoming a long-term issue. Our resilience strategies can help. 

For managing “secondary” trauma and staying resilient, here are a few things to know:

• It is normal to be emotional: crying, feeling anxious, having more irritability than normal are just a few common reactions to exposure to trauma.
• Labeling yours and your team’s responses as reactions to stress is important in order to avoid taking things personally and fostering further negative feelings or more effects of trauma.
• Acknowledging traumatic experiences is a good way to foster resilience in the workplace and buffer yourself and team members from long term traumatic effects.
• Regular coping strategies like breathing, exercise, adequate sleep and hydration as well as seeking help when reactions to trauma persist are important. 

For more information about stress relief during COVID-19, go to www.leadingagemncoaching.com.

At no charge, you can arrange virtual staff support groups through LeadingAge Minnesota Foundation’s COVID-19 Staff Coping & Support Line project. Contact Terri Foley at tfoley@leadingagemn.org or 651-815-8137.