Samata Health’s Guide to Managing Trauma in the Workplace
Looking to learn more about trauma’s impact in the workplace? This guide includes the following topics to foster healing & support.
What is Trauma?
Trauma is a person's emotional response to a distressing experience. This may impact an individual socially, emotionally, physically, and/or mentally. Traumatic incidents tend to involve a serious threat to a person’s safety and wellbeing. However, there is no hierarchy of traumas. Each individual who experiences the same incident may respond differently.
Some examples of trauma can include: physical, sexual, or emotional abuse, childhood neglect, a severe car accident, poverty, loss, discrimination and oppression, natural disasters, and/or experiencing war, terrorism, or violence in your community.
The Impact
A traumatic event may continue to impact individuals well past their time of exposure as traumas affect our biological and neurological mechanisms. These are most often categorized as “fight,” “flight,” and “freeze” responses.
A “fight” or “flight” response leads our bodies to increase the amount of cortisol (a stress hormone) into our bloodstream to alert us that something dangerous is occuring. As a result, our body is preparing to fight or flee the danger. This may lead to elevated blood pressure, rapid/shallow breaths, increased perspiration, heart rate and adrenaline.
A “freeze” response occurs when our bodies have the opposite reaction and shut down (decreasing cortisol levels). This response is often accompanied by feelings of helplessness, numbness, and dissociation.
These mechanisms are intended to keep us safe until the event ends so our bodies can return to homeostasis. However, trauma is unpredictable and some experiences may result in individuals finding themselves “stuck” in their trauma response. This is due to triggers causing them to re-experience similar situations that remind them of their trauma and begin this entire biological and neurological cycle again.
Signs & Symptoms
Signs & symptoms of a prolonged response to a traumatic event include:
Scaring easily.
Hyperactively assessing danger.
Difficulty sleeping and/or concentrating.
Increased feelings of guilt and/or shame.
Self-destructive behavior (drinking too much, driving too fast, etc…).
Increased irritability.
Experiencing sudden anxiety/panic.
Intrusive thoughts and or memories
A Common Misconception
Experiencing the impact of trauma is not PTSD. We use the term “PTSD” colloquially to mean “impacted by a negative experience.” However, this is not an accurate reflection of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For more information on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, please read this article from the American Psychiatric Association.
Moving Forward
Our first, and most important recommendation is to seek trauma informed therapy. However, the skills listed below are some other tools for healing:
Increase engagement in supportive & safe relationships.
Increase physical activity.
Attend group activities outside of work such as clubs or religious activities.
Attend trauma-informed yoga classes or meditations.
How to Support Your Teams Mental Health
Below are our top recommendations for supporting your teammates at work:
Use mental health terms correctly. Many folks say things like “that was traumatizing” or “I’m so OCD when my desk isn’t clean” to allude to an emotion they’re feeling. The thing is, these statements can be really isolating for people living with these conditions & leave them feeling misunderstood, alienated, and alone in the workplace.
Do not compare their experiences with others’. When we’re told something uncomfortable, humans tend to reach for similar stories and experiences with a positive outcome. For example, if Sue goes to John and says “I’m feeling depressed,” John might respond, “My mom used to feel depressed but it went away after a while!” John’s response is normal in the sense that he wants to provide comfort. The thing is, that might make Sue feel like a failure for not overcoming her struggles quickly, or misunderstood because her depression.
Coping with Workplace PTSD
Sometimes, we can be exposed to trauma in our workplace as a part of our role. For example, if seeing graphic content, putting your safety at risk, or witnessing illness & death are a part of your job, you may experience workplace PTSD.
Workplace PTSD can manifest as chronic anxiety, hyper-reactivity, exhaustion, depression, emotional numbing, self-isolation, sleep difficulties, lack of focus, irritability, negativity, avoidance of work, intrusive thoughts, self-blame, and blaming of others.
Mindfulness practices such as grounding, breathing, gentle movement help refocus on the present.
In the days and weeks following a traumatic exposure, it’s common for people to have a flurry of unpredictable emotions and physical symptoms. We recommend sharing your experience with a safe person (such as a therapist). Research indicates that confronting the stress/traumatic experience and reframing the thoughts that come with that exposure decrease response is the most likely way to stop stress from becoming PTSD.
Until you are able to share with others, we recommend trying the Polyvagal Ladder Map exercise outlined below.
The Polyvagal Ladder is based on the fact that our nervous system regulates:
Our response to threats
Our ability to calm ourselves down and help us return to a relaxed state where we can be safe and social.
The Three States
At the top of the ladder is the ventral vagal state, also known as “safe and social.” In this state people are able to connect with others because they can feel tied to the present and they do not feel as if they are under attack.
In the middle of the ladder is the sympathetic state. When people are on the middle step of the ladder it is because their fight or flight response is activated and their nervous system senses that there are threats in their environment.
On the last step of the ladder is the dorsal vagal state. In this state people often feel frozen, shut down, and like they cannot move or think. They also have trouble connecting with others because the world feels fuzzy, meaning other people can feel illusory.
Mapping it Out
Using the ladder below to explore where your emotions and feelings sit can help you engage with them instead of being overcome by them. Using mindfulness practices and imagining situations of calm and peace can help move your system to a safer space.
Resources for Healing
Below are resources we gathered to foster healing, no matter where you are in the process.
For Everyone
Check out this resource from the CDC to support emotional health after a disaster or trauma.
Take a break from the news or social media if you notice you're feeling on edge & anxious about recent events.
Try this free meditation series, Support In Challenging Times from Headspace.
For Bookworms:
The Deepest Well by Nadine Brooke Harris, M.D.
It Didn’t Start with You by Mark Wolynn.
Trauma & Recovery by Judith Herman, M.D.
For Team Leaders
If you notice signs of stress & trauma on your team, check out these tips under the “Suggestions for Managers” section.
For Parents & Caregivers
Check out this article from PBS kids for advice on helping children cope with tragic events in the news.
