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Trauma Informed Leadership

As the definition of “work/life balance” and generational values have changed, American employers find themselves grappling with employee retention, satisfaction and organizational loyalty. Any hiring manager understands the qualitative and quantitative investment surrounding these processes. Typical costs associated with acquiring a new hire are significant to organizations. There ar

e direct costs like background checks, payroll administration, recruiting and onboarding efforts and there are intangible expenses such as the loss of productivity and time spent by those hiring and interviewing as well as potential impact on team morale.

 

“While the exact cost of acquiring a new hire can vary widely, some studies suggest that the total cost of a new hire can be several times their salary. ELMO Software estimates that employee expenses can cost employers 1.25 to 1.4 times the employee's salary (Blanco, 2024). Some estimates suggest that it can cost companies up to 6-9 months of an employee's salary to replace them” (Mulcahy, 2025).

 

BETTER HIRING, HIGHER RETENTION 

Quick reflection on these factors encourages employers to make the best hiring decisions possible, while procuring work environments that foster growth, loyalty, and retention. After you hire well, management’s new task is to retain team members. How do we keep our team members productive, highly contributing parts of the team while providing a work culture that is consistent with their personal and professional goals? How do we promote their career fulfillment and stop high turnover? Bottom line: Why do employees leave? 

Nicki F. Gaskins, M.Ed, LPCS, LCMHCQC
Nicki F. Gaskins, M.Ed, LPCS, LCMHCQC

Studies show that team members are most likely to walk away from their jobs due to their supervisors. People leave bad bosses (McPheat, 2024). Employees reject toxic work spaces and no longer tolerate poor leadership (MacArthur, 2024). Redline Group analysis shows that employees supervised by disengaged or ineffective managers have three times higher turnover rates (Drain, 2024). 


HIGHER RETENTION IS SUPPORTED BY HIGH QUALITY LEADERS 

What is the distinguishing characteristic of high quality leaders? What are they doing differently that hasn't otherwise been effective in the last millennium? Research supposes that psychological safety and trauma informed care is transformative. For so long, the stigma of mental health and discussing emotions in the workplace have been taboo. The presence of that stigma has created workplaces that lack emotional safety, discourage authenticity and foster shame. Excellent leaders embrace the need for psychological safety and strive to incorporate trauma informed care (TIC) and trauma informed leadership (TIL) techniques into their leadership practices. They also honor the differing value systems of each generation in the workforce and anticipate how values and mental health issues intersect in one’s personal and professional life. 


QUALITY LEADERS UNDERSTAND GENERATIONAL DIFFERENCES 

Currently, there are four main generations represented in the workforce today. For the youngest group, the latest generation of working Americans, Gen Z, psychological safety at work is a priority.


“Great employers need to ensure Gen Z feels emotionally supported in the workplace, through things like regular check-ins and encouragement to practice self-care (Hopke, 2024).”


For Gen Z, workplace safety goes far beyond occupational hazards. They expect safety programs to support their mental, emotional and physical well-being (Hopke). 

On the other hand, Baby Boomers were raised in post-war economic growth, value job security, and social stability. Their work ethic reflects a sense of duty, loyalty, and respect for authority. Taught that hard work leads to success, they often prefer hierarchical structures and traditional communication styles (Sabatini Hennelly & Schurman, 2018; Harber, 2011). 

The largest generational cohort in the workforce, Millennials desire employers that value their “evolving needs, promote work-life balance, support their personal and professional growth,” while also impacting society favorably (Team, 2024). 

Forever the middle child, Gen X desires a good work-life balance. Gen Xers are more likely to have had two working parents and may have experienced first-hand the disadvantages of the Baby Boomers' long working hours (Sharfman, 2022). Generation X has a good work ethic but understand the importance of their home life and time away from work and prioritise their mental health and the need to avoid burnout. They're more likely to have complex caring responsibilities than previous generations - looking after elderly parents while they still have children at home (Sharfman, 2022). 


VARYING NEEDS & TRAUMA INFORMED LEADERSHIP 

How do strong leaders accommodate all of these varying needs? For too long, workplaces have failed to acknowledge the need for work life balance, let alone psychological safety. Now, healthy workplaces are prioritizing trauma informed care, recognizing that despite each generation's values, trauma history is a shared experience. It is a general principle of humanity that trauma-informed places of work, where everyone feels valued, respected, and supported, ultimately lead to more productive, resilient, and thriving organizations (Manning, 2021). “In today’s fast-paced and high-stress work environments, the need for effective leadership has never been more crucial” (Swora 2023). As employees face various challenges and traumas in their personal lives, it becomes essential for leaders to manage their teams and truly understand and support them on a deeper level (Swora). When trauma happens - the fight or flight response happens. But when you have continued trauma- the sensations continue- and wear away at your body (ACES, 2024). The functional distress hormones exist to get you out of “there”, but if you cannot escape, your body may continually produce those hormones. The basic function of our brain is to make sure our body is okay - to have a functioning body. Perceived or actual threats in the workplace, take us “offline”. 

Trauma disconnects brain areas necessary for storage and integration of incoming information the hippocampus and the thalamus. Trauma memories are not organized as coherent logical narratives, but fragmented sensory and emotional traces (Morris, 2025). 

To effectively provide psychological safety, good leaders must be aware of trauma and its pervasive impact on team members’ lives and in the workplace as a whole.


"This is where trauma-informed leadership emerges as a game-changer, revolutionizing the workplace. By recognizing the impact of trauma and integrating practices that prioritize empathy, compassion, and resilience, leaders can create a thriving and resilient workforce” (Swora, 2023).


Successful implementation of trauma informed practices can have the following transformative effects (Chefalo, 2025): 

● Improved Human Service Outcomes: better mental health, increased engagement, and reduced recidivism; 

● Enhanced Employee Well-Being: supportive work environments reduce burnout and lead to higher job satisfaction and retention; 

● Increased Productivity: fostered trust, safety, and collaboration help build stronger, relationships which maximizes efficiency; 

● Increased Resilience: empowered individuals cope more effectively with challenges resulting in better management of unexpected or unplanned change; 

● Reduced Stigma: understanding the impact of trauma helps organizations be more sensitive to mental health, related issues and the knowledge that trauma is not rare. 


8 ELEMENTS FOR PRACTICING DYNAMIC TRAUMA INFORMED LEADERSHIP 

Awareness and knowledge of the following Trauma Informed Principles, in both personal and professional settings, helps produce the regenerative outcomes listed above. 

A. Awareness of Trauma’s pervasive existence 

B. Exhaustive understanding of TIC (trauma informed care) - 7 parts 

C. Understanding of Attunement, ACES & Attachment theory 

D. A Servant Based leadership posture (Greenleaf, et al, 2002). 

E. A Shame free zone (Brown, 2018). 

F. A What happened to you? versus What’s wrong with you? Posture (Perry & Winfrey, 2021). 

G. A strengths based posture (Rath, 2007). 

H. A strong personal relationship with boundaries, healthy self care & self efficacy habits.


A. AWARENESS OF TRAUMA’S PERVASIVE EXISTENCE 

Those who are trauma informed understand the prevalence and impact of trauma among their service recipients and in the workforce. Policies and practice reflect this awareness and may be supported with activities such as screening and assessments,workshops, EAPs, and sensitivity training. 

Training for all leadership is imperative to understand what trauma is. Though not an exhaustive list, types of trauma include: 

● Childhood Abuse & Neglect 

● Physical, Emotional and Sexual Abuse 

● Witnessing acts of violence

● War and other forms of violence 

● Food Insecurity 

● Cultural, intergenerational and historical trauma 

● Medical interventions 

● Grief and loss 

● Accidents and natural disasters 

Trauma is one risk factor in nearly all behavioral health and substance use disorders. Trauma can be a single event or prolonged experiences. Trauma can be considered either created by “nature” or “humans.” 

“Natural traumatic experiences can directly affect a small number of people, such as a tree falling on a car during a rainstorm, or many people and communities, as with a hurricane. Natural events, often referred to as “acts of God,” are unavoidable. Human-caused traumas are caused by human failures (e.g., technological catastrophes, accidents, malevolence) or by human design (e.g., war) (Reed et al.). Although multiple factors contribute to the severity of a natural or human-caused trauma, traumas perceived as intentionally harmful often make the event more traumatic for people and communities” (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2014). 

Simple adjustments to wording as listed below can demonstrate sensitivity and provide validation (Hart et al., 2024). Verbal swaps can be effective tools for exhibiting awareness. Trauma informed verbal swap examples: 

Use ACTIVATED   ILO Triggered 

Use SELF PROTECTION   ILO Avoidant 

Use STRESS RESPONSE   ILO Over-reacting 

Use FEELING CHALLENGED   ILO Being Difficult 

Use HOLDING SPACE   ILO Rescuing 

Use BEING CURIOUS   ILO Blaming 

Use INVITING ILO Telling 


B. UNDERSTANDING TRAUMA INFORMED CARE (TIC/TIL) 

Trauma Informed Leadership principles closely parallel those of trauma informed care. 7 Key Principles of Trauma-Informed Care: 

1). Trauma Awareness 

2). Foundational Safety 

3). Environment of Trustworthiness & Transparency 

4). Prioritization of Choice & Empowerment 

5). Focus on Collaboration

6). Avoiding Retraumatization and 

7). MultiCultural Sensitivity (Manderscheid, 2009) 


1. Trauma Awareness 

TRAUMA AWARENESS was fully explained in No. 1. More information is provided here, in the context of trauma in the workplace.

Employee trauma can come from outside the workplace, i.e., Approximately 70% of U.S. adults have experienced at least one traumatic event, and over 8% of those exposed will develop PTSD (National Council on Mental Health, 2022). 

Employee trauma can come from inside the workplace, i.e., 38 % of women reporting have been sexually harassed at work (verbal, physical, cyber and sexual assault) (Manning, 2021). 

Employee trauma can be created by workplace activities, i.e., Studies reveal that one-third of child protective services workers exhibit symptoms consistent with post-traumatic stress disorder (The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit, 2017). 

Employee trauma from the outside directly impacts day to day productivity in the workplace, i.e., 6 in 10 Americans suffer from a chronic illness - resulting in 20% leaving work to care for a sick loved one; a loss of 33.6 billion a year in productivity (Manning, 2021). 


2. Foundational Safety 

Compassionate, interpersonal leadership styles foster safety. Trauma informed leaders display authentic warmth and their body language is open, approachable, and caring. Trauma informed communication pays attention to tone of voice and the use of triggering words. Trauma informed leaders are non-judgmental, greet people with smiles, make eye contact, and treat people the same. Incidentally, greeting people with a smile was the most common response used to describe a trauma informed leader (Swora, 2023). 

Feeling safe regulates the nervous system, which helps people shift from a survival posture to one of collaboration and consultation. And teams reporting a high sense of psychological safety are 12x more likely to reach their business goals (Project Aristotle, 2025). 

Tips for creating safety: 

● Don't label behavior/feelings as pathological or limit access to services for ethnically diverse populations (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US), 1970). 

● Respond with consistency. Employees should not get conflicting information or responses from different leadership (Center). 

● Treat team members equally (Center). 


3. Environment of Trustworthiness & Transparency 

When there is a culture of trust, people will feel safe to come forward and be authentic with their leadership. “Trust is the holy grail for when it comes to achieving a healthy and productive workplace” (Manning, 2021). The Great Place to Work Institute found that “trust between managers and employees is the primary defining characteristic of the very best places to work” (Swora, 2023). Trust is the foundational element to high performing organizations.


4. Prioritization of Choice & Empowerment 

● Encourage questions - especially when implementing organizational policies or rules without exceptions. 

● Challenging or discounting reports of abuse or other traumatic events depletes personal power and is not trauma informed (Guideline, 2025). 

● When an employee’s trauma symptoms are impacting their work performance, empower them by encouraging participation in goal setting, performance improvement decisions and strategic planning processes (Center, 2021). 


 5. Focus on Collaboration 

Collaboration breathes a spirit of togetherness not an “us versus them” mentality. Leaders who wish to help their team members achieve their goals and remain loyal need to relearn common stigmas. For example, the concept of “attention seeking” is better understood as “connection seeking.” A Trauma Informed Leader can experience an employee’s behavior as not manipulation but as an adaptation to an environment that is threatening to their personal journey. 

Unfortunately, TIL organizational change faces top down opposition from many corporations, making the integration of full collaboration difficult. One study in the UK found that lack of leadership support at high levels, competing demands, opportunity costs, poor interorganizational coordination efforts and high pressure environments hurts the successful implementation of TIC programming. Collaboration must consider full top down support and organizational efforts that consider human resources over the bottom line (University of Bristol, 2024). 


 6. Avoiding Retraumatization 

“Retraumatization occurs when clients experience something that makes them feel as though they are undergoing another trauma. Agencies that anticipate the risk for retraumatization and actively work on adjusting program policies and procedures to remain sensitive to the histories and needs of individuals who have undergone past trauma are likely to have more success in providing care, retaining clients, and achieving positive outcomes” (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2014). 


 7. MultiCultural Sensitivity 

Leaders should strive to appreciate the cultural meanings behind their employees' trauma. For example, they should consider, “how do cultural interpretations, cultural support, and cultural responses affect the experience of trauma (Baker-Nauman, 2025)?” It is also wise for supervisors not to judge a client’s beliefs in light of your own value system (Center, 2021). 

The following list highlights characteristics that often nurture resilience among individuals from diverse cultural, racial, and ethnic groups:

● Strong kinship bonds; 

● Respect for elders and the importance of extended family; 

● Spirituality and religious practices 

● Value in friendships and warm personal relationships; 

● Expression of humor and creativity; 

● Instilling a sense of history, heritage, and historical traditions; 

● Community orientation, activities, and socialization; 

● Strong work ethic; 

● Philosophies and beliefs about life, suffering, and perseverance (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2014). 


C. UNDERSTANDING ATTUNEMENT, A.C.E.S & ATTACHMENT THEORY 

Leaders who understand how ACEs (adverse childhood experiences) impact their team members increase their effectiveness as managers and allow employees to be valued. Leaders lacking understanding of ACES miss out on valuable insight into how their supervisees’ personhood is deeply informed from childhood difficulties. 

Early exposure to Adverse Childhood Experiences/ACEs is associated with traumatic stress reactions and subsequent exposure to trauma in adult years (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2014). The ACEs Study was a large-scale investigation that examined the link between childhood trauma and maltreatment and long-term health and well-being. It revealed that childhood adversity, including abuse, neglect, and household dysfunction, is a significant risk factor for a variety of physical and mental health problems in adulthood. The study, conducted by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Kaiser Permanente, found that exposure to ACEs significantly increases the risk of chronic diseases, mental health issues, and social problems (Ace Study, 2024). 

The study identified 10 categories of ACEs, including physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, violence against a mother, parental divorce, household member with substance use/abuse issues, household member with mental illness, and incarcerated household member (Ace Study, 2024). 

According to the CDC, approximately two-thirds of adults have experienced at least one Adverse Childhood Experience (Ace Study, 2024). When one is emotionally overwhelmed, their internal world feels out of control, and therefore unsafe. If this happens we might tend to constrict our experiences to gain control (Morris, 2025). This can look like poor work performance, insubordination, tardiness and use of poor coping skills.  

One maladaptive coping skill for trauma is substance abuse. Abuse of alcohol and drugs increases the risk of a traumatic experience and creates greater vulnerability to the effects of trauma; substance abuse reduces a person’s ability to take corrective and remedial actions that might reduce the impact of the trauma. What’s more, traumatic stress leads to a greater likelihood of substance abuse that increases the risk of further trauma (Center, 2014). Additionally, trauma and mental illness can be informed by one another.

Leaders who are familiar with the concepts of attunement and attachment theory are better communicators, especially when managing employees with trauma history. Understanding a person’s relationship with their trauma and their early childhood experiences is integral. One important issue in understanding the impact of trauma is the meaning the trauma survivor has attached to that traumatic experience. 

“A survivors’ unique cognitive interpretations of an event (their beliefs and assumptions) contribute to how they process, react to, cope with, and recover from the trauma. Does the event represent retribution for past deeds committed by the individual or his or her family? (Paulson & Krippner, 2007) How do these factors affect their perception of their job performance? If so, how does this inform their ability to work with others? How does the individual attach meaning to his or her survival (Paulson & Krippner, 2007)? People who attempt to share their interpretation and meaning of the event can feel misunderstood and sometimes alienated” (Paulson & Krippner, 2007; Schein, Spitz, Burlingame, & Muskin, 2006). 

A brief overview of attachment styles is helpful for managers who wish to understand their employees’ actions, motivations, and values. The following is a simple explanation of Attachment Theory: 

● Secure - trust self, caregiver & world: Securely attached people are more comfortable processing their feelings, displaying affection, and have higher levels of self-confidence; they better accept and move on from rejection and are also capable of being loyal and trusting of others, self-sacrificing, and trustworthy (Theodorou, 2021). 

● Anxious - do not trust self or world; only trust caregiver: Anxiously attached people  often withhold trusting, require constant reassurance, and have trouble being alone. It is common for this group to fall into unhealthy or even abusive relationships and have “learned helplessness.” Because of low self esteem and ingrained neediness, anxiously attached persons often look to others to complete or rescue them, and may have more trouble forgiving others and maintaining healthy relationships. Their demeanor is often perceived as overly emotional, erratic, and irrational (Theodorou, 2021). 

● Avoidant - do not trust caregiver or world; only trust self: Avoidantly attached people are self-directed, independent, and are rarely comfortable with authentic intimacy or vulnerability. Often fearful others are trying to control them, they tend to distance and prefer to keep to themselves. Those who have avoidant attachment styles often structure a life with little authentic contact (to avoid discussing feelings) or commitment; this group also is inclined to respond to uncomfortable interchanges by isolating, being distrustful, cold and even stubborn (Theodorou, 2021). 

● Anxious/Avoidant - fully lacking in consistent or constant trust: Anxious-avoidantly attached people fear both commitment and intimacy while distrusting and lashing out emotionally. Anxious avoidants are low in confidence and less likely to express emotions preferring to suppress them. Emotional outbursts when under stress are common and this group may have trouble accepting responsibility for their choices (Theodorou, 2021). 

While securely attached people are set up from childhood for more success, this is not a perfect recipe. Most people do not fit into one category. Also, most people experience resiliency and have protective factors that encourage healing and healthier patterns of behavior throughout their lives. Commonly, however when an employee (especially one with a trauma history) experiences adversity or conflict, their ability to manage high pressure situations may default to patterns influenced by their attachment style. Supervisors’ supportive interchanges with employees can help stabilize the default pattern. A safe and TIC manager can avoid further retraumatization and attune to the team members’ needs using an attachment lens. For example, when trauma informed leader, Kiva, finds work hasn't been completed satisfactorily, she can be aware of team member Bo's avoidant attachment style and engage Bo with open-mindedness, diplomacy and collaboration, using a strengths based approach. Kiva's understanding that Bo is prone to be defensive and isolative during conflict can help her lead Bo with respect and mutuality. Kiva will use her attunement skills to best serve her employee’s needs. 

Attunement is defined as our ability to respond appropriately to another with awareness and care (Erskine, 1998). Attunement is an important concept, something that we become either aware of or missing in our childhood. TIC attunes not only to the relationship with the employee but also to the employees’ experience with previous relationships. Attunement may have never occurred with this employee and is essential in their healing experience and in setting them up for success. 

As explained in the “The Dance of Attunement,” children attune and attach to whomever functions as the primary caregiver (Ledgard, 2025). Securely attached, kids learn what makes them feel good. They understand that their actions can change how they feel and how others respond. In contrast, children with a history of trauma, such as parental neglect are essentially conditioned to give up in the face of challenges later in life (Morris, 2025). 

A parental separation or fracture (typically causing an insecure attachment) is also a devastating experience with lasting effects into adulthood. An adult who has not healed from this trauma injury will likely transfer their attachment wounds into other relationships, especially ones where they perceive themselves vulnerable or where another person has power over them, i.e., a boss. When working with someone who has experienced a parental separation trauma, a brief understanding of Erikson's Theory of Psychosocial Development and the level “trust v. mistrust” (Wittmer & Petersen, 2014) is appropriate. 


“Basic trust is a child's expectation that his needs would be met by caregivers and the world is a safe place. Distrust is the result of unmet needs whereby the impression is formed that the world is difficult or unreliable. The positive outcome of this stage is that the child develops a positive sense that the world is safe, secure and wonderful. The negative outcome is fear, anxiety, depression, low self-esteem and a pessimistic outlook”  (Wittmer & Petersen, 2014) . 


Regardless of what developmental stage or chronological age we are in, a fracture in early attachment impacts all relationships, especially those between an employee and their authority figure. Adult victims of childhood trauma who are anxiously or avoidantly attached struggle with self esteem and/or a sense of belonging, inherent trust of others, perseverance (“bouncing back” from setbacks), and may not be as good of communicators as their securely attached counterparts. More than that, this group may be intrinsically untrusting of others and their environments. 


“Basic trust is a child's expectation that his needs would be met by caregivers and the world is a safe place. Distrust is the result of unmet needs whereby the impression is formed that the world is difficult or unreliable” (Harley & Skidmore, 2023). 


Attachment is a secure base for children to enter the world and promotes self-resilience. Adults who were securely attached as children are able to sync with their environment and are more likely to adapt naturally to adversity, critics, feedback, and conflict in the workplace. 

Attachment styles inform one’s sense of self and their deep-rooted opinions of others. An effective TIC leader uses this awareness to attune to the needs of their team members and communicate most effectively. This chart illustrates ones’ innate responses/attunement to others based on an either positive or negative sense of self and others (Team, 2025):


D. SERVANT LEADERSHIP 

“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first” (Greenleaf, 2002). Servant leadership focuses on putting others' needs first and  prioritizes the growth and well-being of people and communities over oneself. Servant leaders are more interested in the growth and development of their supervisees than their own “success.” High-quality work and overall company success are natural byproducts of this leadership. Its ten principles are fundamentally trauma informed. 

Ways to establish yourself as a servant leader: 

● Know thyself - What is your enneagram (Van Stijn, 2021), your Harry Potter house (Pottermore, 2023)? What are your own blind spots? What are your values (Brown, 2018)? 

● Know your team - What makes them tick, what gets them up for work in the morning/what gets them down, all of the above... 

● Develop thyself - learn more about you, get healthier, train, become better at your craft;

● Develop thy team - training, counseling, offering selected readings, personal development; 

● Elevate thy team above thyself (Stryker, 2025). 

● Display authentic warmth. Body language is open, approachable, caring and is clear and consistent. TIC leaders pay attention to voice tone and the use of triggering words.

● Greet people with smiles, make eye contact, and treat people the same. Incidentally, greeting people with a smile was the most common response used to describe a trauma informed leader (Center, 2021). 

● Stay calm even when your team is activated, by avoiding reactive responses.

● Strategically check in on all team wellbeing. 

● Use positive motivation (not fear based). 

● Provide ample notice for requests and tasks and avoid surprises and ensure policies promote a sense of safety for all (Center, 2021). 

● Resist toxic structures and turn away from threatening fear based statements (Brown, 2014). 


E. SHAME FREE ZONE 

“Shame is the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love, belonging, and connection” (Brown 2021). Most people who have experienced trauma carry a heavy load of shame and as Brown explains this heavy burden is oppressive and disconnecting. “When we feel worthless, rejected and unworthy of belonging, we feel shame” (Brown, 2018). 

TILs support safe spaces when they eliminate a culture or environment that fosters shame in any way. For example, managers should require confidentiality whenever possible. If the trauma occurs publicly, ensure that staff do not shame the trauma survivor, such as through teasing or joking about the situation (Center, 2021).

An environment of empathy, understanding and non-judgement is key. “Empathy creates a hostile environment for shame–it can’t survive” (Brown, 2018) and when… “it comes to shame, understanding is a prerequisite for change” (Brown, 2007). Empathy, or putting oneself in the shoes of another, is more potent than sympathy (expressing a feeling of sorrow for another person) (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2014). 


F. POSTURE OF CURIOSITY & NON JUDGMENT 

Section E, Shame Free Zones and this section, Posture of Curiosity & Non Judgement (Section F) are a well paired team. Maintaining a non-judgmental posture and being aware of trauma symptomatology is also key to modeling a trauma informed environment. Understanding the signs that someone may be experiencing trauma also posits curiosity, invites non judgment and creates a shame free zone where employees can live out their experiences more sincerely. Symptom recognition and differing symptomology responses inform how they handle trauma. These differences are often being influenced by factors beyond their control, such as genetics, historical factors, internal traits, and external sources (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2014). A broad range of symptoms and reactions is to be expected by traumatic experiences. While some individuals may be able to cope privately and simply have a bad day at work; others may find the situation influences the entire trajectory of their lives. 

Trauma informed leaders can be on the lookout for significant behavioral changes, such as arriving late to work when they are usually on time, having difficulty completing expected tasks they performed before, or engaging in distant interactions with colleagues and/or signs of anxiety or depressed mood. Signs of vicarious trauma (trauma that occurs as a byproduct of exposure to other trauma) include: emotional numbness, sleep disturbances, social withdrawal, and avoidance conduct during team discourse. 

Curiosity can be an even more powerful element of TIC when the “What happened to you?” posture Not a “What’s wrong with you?” attitude is applied (Perry & Winfrey, 2021). It is important to remember that what happened is not nearly as important as what the trauma means to the person (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014). Allowing the team member to be the owner of their story and explain the trauma’s impact is the appropriate method. On the other hand, minimizing, discrediting, or ignoring team members’ experiences and/or their response to those experiences fosters retraumatization and is judgemental and isolating. 

Because of the effects on the brain, people with trauma often mistake intensity for intimacy (Buczynski, 2025). Intense interactions in the workplace that might appear inappropriate are actually trauma responses to perceived threat. Sensitive and aware managers understand that a trauma survivor’s comportment often comes from a survival motive. Intensity can manifest at work in the way some team members embrace feedback while others crumple under it. Validation and non-judgement are crucial to equating the former.


G. STRENGTHS BASED PERSPECTIVE 

TIC takes a distinctively strengths-based perspective that emphasizes resilience over pathology. Protective factors that celebrate a person’s strengths are equally important. Leaders foster resilience by creating an encouraging environment where trust and respect are elevated. Referring to someone’s behavior as “crazy” (pathology) versus encouraging their ability to forge through adversity (resilience) demonstrates “a dynamic process encompassing positive adaptation within the context of significant adversity” (Bartlett & Steber, 2019). 

With a focus on strength and resilience, leaders and staff build skills that will help them move in a favorable direction collectively (Ohio, 2023). Identifying and exploring strengths in the employee’s history can help the team member apply those strengths to his or her ability to function in the present (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment,2014). 


“Resilience—the ability to thrive despite negative life experiences and heal from traumatic events—is related to the internal strengths and environmental supports of an individual. Most individuals are resilient despite experiencing traumatic stress. The ability to thrive beyond the trauma is associated with individual factors as well as situational and contextual factors (Feder, Charney, & Collins, 2011), flexibility in adapting to change, beliefs prior to trauma, sense of self-efficacy, and ability to experience positive emotions” (Bonanno & Mancini, 2011). 


H. HEALTHY PERSONAL HABITS 

Trauma informed leaders respect their own boundaries of personal and work time. As they acknowledge how essential it is for teams to have self care and psychological safety, they also prioritize their own. When the effects of trauma spill over into the workplace, healthy trauma informed leaders are aware of their competence levels to navigate challenging situations, and are compassionate in their actions toward impacted team-members. 

Personal Boundaries inform their ability to sustain a stressful workplace. TIL understands that otherwise, vicarious trauma can lead to fundamental shifts in beliefs, perceptions, and interpersonal connections that can ultimately affect both them and the agency as a whole. 


Conclusion 

Traumatic stress can overwhelm people's ability to cope, leading to exhaustion, burnout, and eventually even deteriorating behavioral and physical health. This has a direct impact on creativity, performance, psychological safety, productivity, and our overall ability to thrive personally and professionally (Snyder, 2023). A psychologically safe workplace, where TIC is valued, creates commendatory results such as employee satisfaction, high retention and better team performance. 

This article highlighted many strategies for TIL implementation. Becoming a trauma-informed organization is a worthy investment and the process needn't be burdensome to adopt.

Foundational steps organizations can take to move toward fully adopting a trauma-informed approach to care include (Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2014): 

1. Building awareness and buy-in for TIC; 

2. Fostering a culture of staff wellness; 

3. Hiring those who value TIC; 

4. Creating a safe physical,social and emotional environment.







References 

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