Heal the Healers
Social workers, law enforcement professionals, doctors, nurses, therapists, community organizers, advocates-and many others-all play an important role in helping survivors of traumatic events address their experiences and heal from them. While most feel privileged to play a role in others' healing, this sense of purpose and accomplishment does not come without a cost. The repeated exposure to stories of violence, betrayal and suffering often begins to affect the worker's sense of self and their own view of the world-this is what we call vicarious trauma.
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At Joyful Heart, we recognize and have tremendous respect for the work done by those who help others cope with trauma. Our Heal the Healers program was designed to address the issue of the vicarious traumatization that can be a result of that work.
The program's mission is to shed light on how each of us can be impacted by witnessing and responding to the suffering of others, help professionals explore their own trauma exposure response and introduce them to self-care tools and practices. We do this through therapies that engage the body through movement, the mind through creative expression, and the spirit through group sharing experience. In a safe and nurturing environment, modalities we may use include creative arts therapy, guided writing, body work, yoga and meditation, music, dance, movement, play and mindfulness. Our goal is to help professionals restore their balance and renew their sense of hope and possibility.
Our Heal the Healers program has been developed in collaboration with researchers, clinicians and wellness practitioners, as well as our partner, Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, and the material in her book, Trauma Stewardship.
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Heal the Healers Programs
National Center for Women and Policing
Annual Leadership Conference
On September 23rd, a team from Joyful Heart traveled to Saratoga Springs for the National Center for Women and Policing's (NCWP) Annual Leadership Conference, hosted by the New York State Police and co-sponsored by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. The conference was attended by many of the top women in law enforcement from across the nation. more >
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Healers Retreat
As part of our Heal the Healers program, Joyful Heart has partnered with the National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) to create a year-long pilot program to determine how structured self-care coupled with an organizational focus on creating sustainable working conditions can have an impact on individuals working in the field of trauma. more >
Prevent Child Abuse Hawaii Conference
This year's theme was "Strengthening Families…Because Children Matter!" Three protective factors were the focus of this years event: Nurturing and Attachment, Knowledge of Parenting and Child Development, and Social Connections. more >
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Additional Resources
Identifying the Signs of Vicarious Trauma
Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, a trauma worker, educator and author of Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide for Caring for Self While Caring for Others, has spent years working in the field of trauma, crisis and natural disasters and has identified 16 common signs of a trauma exposure response. more >
Self-Care Practice for Sustainable Work
At Joyful Heart, in addition to our work with survivors, we are committed to supporting those who work with the population we serve. We have experienced, firsthand, the impact of vicarious trauma and we have also seen the benefits of incorporating a daily self-care practice. This daily practice gives healers the opportunity to reconnect with themselves and can make it possible to work with trauma survivors in a sustainable way. more >
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