From stress to strain: managing a psychologically and trauma-informed team

From stress to strength: managing a psychologically and trauma-informed team

All organisations supporting people will be working with those who have experienced trauma.  Research also indicates that people who have experienced trauma are more likely to be drawn into working in helping professions, so organisations will inevitably have staff and volunteers who are also affected.  We know from research and anecdotally that workers are feeling under pressure and that many organisations are concerned about workers' wellbeing.  This course will use psychological insights to help managers and others to think about how to best respond to this so that their organisation and team structures help to maximise wellbeing and minimise stress, burnout and vicarious trauma.

Read Ideas to Impact's blog setting out how this work was delivered as a year-long programme with New Dawn New Day in Leicester to a group of organisations providing or advising about safe accommodation.

This one day course is a follow on from the one-day general introduction to psychologically and trauma-informed approaches, which participants will need to have attended or have a comparable understanding of trauma and its effects.

This can also be delivered as a consultancy package within organisations.


This course incorporates leadership and management research plus evidence about psychology and the physiology of trauma with personal and practical experience.  It is aimed at anyone who manages or supervises people (including volunteer managers) whether that’s line management or through projects, or anyone who wants to move into management.
  • Understand how to apply trauma-informed principles to the workforce (including staff and volunteers) and how these fit with good management practices
  • Use frameworks to pinpoint current or potential issues in your teams and individual members
  • Understand what vicarious trauma is and how you can support workers to recognise it and reduce its effects
  • Consider the effects of attachment style on workers’ behaviour and support needs
  • Identify similarities and differences between individual and team resilience, consider problems in the concept of resilience, and understand what managers and team members can do to minimise problems, maximise worker wellbeing and reduce the chances of burnout and vicarious trauma
  • Understand what psychological safety in the workplace is and how you can develop it 
  • Consider how mental wellbeing relates to worker engagement and the different types of support that workers need
Participants will come away with an action plan and some tools to use in the workplace, and some next steps to implement trauma-informed practice into their organisations.

Please be aware that the nature of discussion about trauma can lead to realisations about participants own experiences and can bring up strong feelings.  Participants will be encouraged to take breaks if they need it.  The trainer will be available during part of lunch and after the session to signpost participants to various resources.  It is also important that there is provision for participants to talk to their own managers or other workplace provision as needed.

Course facilitator: Becky Nixon.  Becky has personal and professional experience of trauma, is undertaking an Master's in psychology, and has worked with organisations that are developing trauma-informed practice since 2014.  

In-house cost: £875 for one day + trainer’s expenses

If you are interested in attending an open version of this course, please email becky@ideastoimpact.co.uk or use the contact form below.
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