Blog
What do we do now? Critical incident stress management for the workplace
A traumatic event in the workplace affects multiple people, yet reactions to that event are very individual. Referred to in some circles as critical incidents, these are traumatic events (or perceived life-threatening events) which have sufficient power to overwhelm...
Therapies for trauma survivors
Coming to the decision to pursue therapy after trauma can be difficult. There are many therapies for trauma survivors and to decide what is best for you, you first have to recognize what is happening. Next, it’s important to have self-compassion. Finally, you need to...
Creating a resilient company culture
Company culture isn’t just written policies and the details about when, where, how, and by whom work gets done. It’s also the unwritten vibe about the organization, the traditions, the feelings, basically “how we do things here.” These all have an effect on employees,...
Workplace Violence and Mental Health
Violence in the workplace, although still rare, is becoming more common. From domestic violence which spills over to work to client rage, employee grudges and random violent acts which happen in or near your work location, it’s impossible to know what—or...
It’s OK We’re Not OK
To put a pretty fine a point on it, I really hate the word resiliency*. I’m resilient. You are too. We all have some ability to adapt after stress (whether it feels that way or not); none of us would be here without it. I’ve used these words often in my...
My Crusade: Let’s Use the Term PTSD Correctly Please
PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) was once a term used primarily to describe soldiers’ mental health issues. It took a lot of education on the part of returning veterans and mental health professionals for us regular folk to understand the profound...
Leadership and Mental Health—Leading Your Team through the Tough Times
Today’s workforce is living in a unique world. Multiple traumatic events have occurred in recent years, from terror attacks to natural disasters, tragedies in homes and families (even the workplace), and even difficult financial situations which force...
Communicating About Trauma: Say What?
Trauma is not one of life’s more enjoyable experiences. It’s deeply disturbing and can impact those who come face to face with it for their entire lives. Given the gravity, it’s important to be careful how we communicate about trauma. We tend to do a poor...
Communicating About Trauma: Know Your Audience
Like in all effective communications, a critical principle when communicating about trauma is to know your audience.“Crisis management is at heart an individual challenge.”- James Lee Witt, FEMA Director 1993-2001We all look at a crisis from our own world...
Managing Your Team After Layoffs
After a layoff, your leadership team may be breathing a sigh of relief that nothing major fell apart in the process. You may also feel like the remaining team members are the cream of the crop, and more than qualified to keep the ball rolling, maybe even...