When the Past Shows Up at Work
How stress and adversity shape communication, conflict, trust and performance, and how leaders and staff can respond effectively.
The challenge
Conflict, burnout, tense interactions with patients or the public, and turnover often have the same root: people reacting from stress rather than thinking clearly. Most staff were never given a way to recognize that or respond to it, so situations escalate that didn't need to.
Participants will be able to
- Recognize common stress responses in colleagues, clients and themselves
- Separate behavior from assumptions about a person's history
- Use communication that de-escalates while holding standards
- Know professional boundaries and when to refer
- Apply the Pause, Interpret, Respond, Refer framework to a real situation from their work
The framework participants take home
Pause
Notice a stress response before reacting to it, in yourself and in the other person.
Interpret
Ask what may be driving the behavior, without guessing at anyone's history.
Respond
Use communication that lowers the temperature while keeping standards and boundaries.
Refer
Know when and where to connect someone to the right support, and stay in your role.
Best for
Healthcare systems, human-services agencies, public-facing government teams, and HR and leadership groups in those sectors.
Formats
45–60 minute keynote, 90-minute training or half-day implementation workshop. In person or virtual. Continuing-education (CE) credit may be available for a small additional fee through the Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma (IVAT), which is accredited to provide CEs by the American Psychological Association (APA) for psychologists; the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS), which accepts APA CE credit for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs and LEPs; the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program (IVAT provider #1857) for social workers; the California Board of Registered Nursing (CEP #13737) for nurses; and the State Bar of California (MCLE provider #11600) for attorneys. Please ask about CE for your specific event when you request availability.
Trauma-aware leadership is not about identifying who has experienced trauma. It is about designing communication, policies and responses that work better for everyone.
Common questions
Will managers be asked to find out about employees' personal histories?
No. The program is about how people respond to situations, not about uncovering anyone's past. Participants learn approaches that work better for everyone, whatever their history.
Is this therapy?
No. It is professional training in communication and response, with clear guidance on staying in role and referring when needed.
Can it be tailored to our sector?
Yes. The research stays the same; the examples, language and scenarios are drawn from your audience's work.