The Danger of Bringing Unresolved Trauma to the Workplace: A Call for Responsible Sharing and Healing in Student Affairs

Vicarious trauma, also known as secondary traumatic stress, is the emotional and psychological distress that can result from hearing about or being exposed to the traumatic experiences of others. The term “vicarious trauma” was coined by Judith Lewis Herman in her book “Trauma and Recovery” published in 1992. In this book, she defined vicarious trauma as “the transformation that occurs in the helper as a result of empathic engagement with traumatic material.” This concept has since been expanded upon and applied to a variety of fields, including mental health, first responder, and student affairs professionals. It is a form of trauma that can occur in individuals who work in helping professions, such as student affairs professionals, who work with individuals who have experienced traumatic events. Research has shown that individuals who work in on-campus housing departments, specifically those who serve in first responder and crisis manager roles, are particularly susceptible to vicarious trauma.

According to a study by J.L. Mitchell, A. Yoder, and J. L. Gentry, (2015) student affairs professionals who work in on-campus housing departments often play critical roles in addressing and responding to the immediate needs of students who have experienced traumatic events such as sexual assault, suicide, or other crises. These professionals are often the first point of contact for students in crisis and are responsible for providing immediate support and assistance. As a result, they may be exposed to graphic details of traumatic events and may be required to manage high levels of stress and emotional intensity.

Research has also shown that student affairs professionals who work in on-campus housing departments are at risk of developing symptoms of vicarious trauma, such as emotional numbing, hypervigilance, and difficulty sleeping (Hart and Kullberg, 2016). These symptoms can impact the professional’s ability to function in their role and can lead to burnout and turnover in the field.

It is important for student affairs professionals to be aware of the potential for vicarious trauma and to take steps to protect themselves from its negative effects. This includes self-care practices such as setting boundaries, seeking regular supervision, and seeking professional counseling when needed. Additionally, it is important for employers to provide support and resources for their staff to help them cope with the emotional demands of their work and to promote their well-being.

The importance of discussing and sharing personal experiences of trauma in a responsible manner cannot be overstated. It is essential that individuals have gone through proper healing and processing before sharing their experiences, as unresolved trauma can be detrimental to both the individual sharing and those who are listening. Using professional settings such as workshops or conferences to unload unresolved trauma onto impressionable staff is not appropriate, and it is important to remember that being hurt is a natural human experience.

However, our field is plagued by individuals who have not dealt with their own pain and suffering and/or who have not yet processed through their past experiences appropriately. These individuals often lead with their pain and suffering, causing harm to the organization and its employees. This is particularly damaging to students who are mentored and led by these hurt leaders.

This post is different from the infamous piece by a high-ranking student affairs professional who “just wants to be around happy people.” We are not asking people to bury their pain and be blindly happy. Rather, we are asking for individuals to do their own personal work and cleanse their souls, so they may lead from a clean place, particularly as they become mentors, leaders, and examples for our future.

Far too many of us are using spaces such as one-on-ones, meetings, presentations, and conference settings, to exercise our own demons. We think we are putting something positive out into the universe when in reality we are selfishly using these spaces to heal ourselves. This projection of pain onto others in the workplace is dangerous, and it is important for student affairs professionals and leaders to reflect on the pain they bring to spaces and consider how bringing unresolved pain in the workplace impacts students, employees, and the field as a whole.

I’ll leave you with this final thought. Discussing and sharing personal experiences of trauma is important, but it should be done in a responsible manner, after proper healing and processing have taken place. Colleagues should not use professional settings as an opportunity to unload unresolved trauma onto impressionable staff. As student affairs professionals and leaders, it is essential to reflect on the pain we bring to spaces and consider how bringing unresolved pain in the workplace positively impacts our field and students. We must examine, identify, and deal with our past pain and hurt, and stop using our field as a form of therapy at the cost of our students.

Addendum 4/22/2023

Feedback illuminated a need to further expound and expand on my original post.

As stated earlier, Vicarious trauma, also known as secondary traumatic stress, is a form of trauma that can affect individuals who work in helping professions, such as student affairs professionals, who work with individuals who have experienced traumatic events. It can manifest in symptoms such as emotional numbing, hypervigilance, and difficulty sleeping, and can lead to burnout and turnover in the field. In this addendum, I will discuss the importance of responsible sharing and healing in addressing vicarious trauma in student affairs, while also acknowledging the complexity and ongoing nature of the healing process. It is complicated and it can be lifelong.

Sharing personal experiences of trauma can be an important part of the healing process absolutely – but it must be done in a responsible manner. This means that individuals should strongly consider starting the initial work of processing and healing before sharing their experiences. It is my personal advice that none of us should not use professional settings such as workshops or conferences to unload trauma onto impressionable staff before we even started to do the work of making sense of those experiences. Yes, It is important to remember that being hurt is a natural human experience, and that individuals should not be judged or stigmatized for their experiences. Nor should they automatically preclude people from leading or sitting in influential positions.

It is important to recognize that not everyone who enters the workplace will have fully resolved their trauma. Hell many of the staff members I am hiring now at the student staff, grad and entry level professionals are coming to us with trauma precollege or institution (i.e. mass shootings). This is especially true for individuals in helping professions, such as student affairs professionals, who may be exposed to traumatic events while providing support to students. It’s important to acknowledge the ongoing and complex nature of the healing process and to create a culture of support and understanding in the workplace.

In order to foster this culture, we must provide resources and support to staff to help them cope with the emotional demands of their work. This includes self-care practices, regular supervision, and access to professional counseling. We can learn from other professions, such as first responders and law enforcement, who have developed comprehensive support systems for their employees. While there is still room for improvement in these systems, they provide a useful model for developing support systems for student affairs professionals.

It is crucial that we create an environment where individuals feel safe to share their experiences in a responsible and confidential manner. This means creating a culture of non-judgment and avoiding stigmatization of individuals who have experienced trauma. We must also provide clear guidelines for responsible sharing and ensure that individuals have gone through proper healing and processing before sharing their experiences.

Finally, it’s important to acknowledge that some student affairs professionals may experience multiple traumatic events during their tenure with the department, such as the death of multiple students or student staff members. In these cases, it’s especially important to provide comprehensive support and resources to help individuals cope with the emotional toll of their work. This may include additional counseling sessions, time off for self-care, or other forms of support as needed.

Bringing unresolved trauma into the workplace can have a negative impact on students and the field as a whole. Student affairs professionals who are not fully processing their own pain and suffering may lead with their trauma, causing harm to the organization and its employees. This is particularly damaging to students who are mentored and led by these hurt leaders. It is essential for student affairs professionals and leaders to reflect on the pain they bring to spaces and consider how bringing unresolved pain in the workplace impacts students and the field.

Addressing vicarious trauma in student affairs requires responsible sharing and healing, as well as creating a culture of support and understanding in the workplace.

It’s crucial to recognize the complexity and ongoing nature of the healing process and to avoid stigmatizing individuals who have experienced trauma. Stigmatization is unacceptable, and we must create a safe and non-judgmental environment for individuals to share their experiences.

However, it’s also important to acknowledge that in some cases, it may be necessary to make difficult decisions regarding the employment of staff members who are spiraling in front of students or other staff members. While these situations are complex and require a nuanced approach, the well-being of students and the organization must also be taken into account with guidance from university offices such as HR, Institutional Equity and so on. This layered complexity is difficult to address in a single post and this is evident in the some of the initial feedback, which I sincerely welcome, value, and respect. It’s also important to continue the conversation and work towards solutions that prioritize the well-being of all individuals involved.

Ultimately, by promoting a culture of support and understanding, we can create a positive impact on the well-being of student affairs professionals and the students we serve. This includes providing resources and support to staff, creating a safe and non-judgmental environment for responsible sharing, and recognizing the importance of making difficult decisions when necessary. As we continue to learn and grow, we can work towards solutions that prioritize the well-being of all individuals involved in the student affairs field.

I am also looking to further explore and build off an initial conversation I had last week with a phenomenal resource and staff to explore how support can be expanded for student affairs professionals. I believe there is a lot of opportunity for my field to tap into this great work.