Humanity in Trauma Work: A Reflection on Renewing, Culture, and Personal Care
by Adiely Cifuentes
Working in a trauma related field, especially in one that involves criminal justice, requires professionals to be very intricate in empathy. This semester as we unpacked trauma in class, a few things stood out to me that wasn’t necessarily new, but always kept in the back burner until recently. Supporting people who are suffering requires individuals in this field to constantly renew our own mental, emotional and physical well being. If we don’t intentionally seek care, we risk becoming the system that we are trying to fix. People in these fields become overwhelmed, detached, and majority of the time don’t see people as humans. We have seen examples of this through the multiple readings that we did in the course, such as Night by Elie Wiesel, and The Standford Prison Experiment. During this blog post, I want to discuss and reflect on what we have learned while evaluating work done in the criminal justice field, and make a case for a more compassionate and cultural responsive that addresses trauma work.
Trauma Work Taking Tolls
One of the biggest misconceptions that I have realized within learning about trauma is how it only affects victims or clients. Vicarious trauma is a major topic that is barely discussed in our outside world, where it is deeply woven into helping many professions. As we have read and discussed in class, being chronically exposed to other’s pain no matter what your environment might be, can reshape your whole nervous system. Although not often talked about, I consider trauma to be contagious.
For example, there were correctional officers that experienced PTSD at higher rates than veterans (Spinaris, 2012). There has also been social workers that have reported burning out because they care too deeply in the cases they constantly deal with that theres no form of decompressing or outlets of relief. Therapist also often report being exhausted and experience physical symptoms long after working with trauma survivors (Figley, 1995). If we expect these people that hold important jobs to protect our humanity, then institutions must find a way to protect their humanity too.
Learning from Trauma-Theorists
During our course, we have the honor to read Bessel Van Der Kolk’s The Body Keeps the Score. This reading was able to reshape how we understand healing while emphasizing that trauma can change the brain and body. Healing is not just about addressing its symptoms, but the body as a whole. Van der Kolk explains how talk therapy often doesn’t work on many people, especially in those that work in emotionally and trauma heavy fields. Almost everybody, if not everyone, carries some sort of embodied trauma. Their nervous system kicks in and gets stuck in in survival mode.
Although the book itself was a great read and there were many things that I was able to learn, I wished that there was more room for a deeper cultural analysis. Race, socioeconomic status, immigration status, disabilities, and cultural identities shape how trauma is experienced and also treated. His model could have benefitted from having more acknowledgment in these areas.
Critical Incident Stress Management
Critical Incident Stress Management, also known as CISM, is commonly known for first responders as way to balance out reactions after a traumatic event. This program is able to offer things such as debriefings, peer support, and psychoeducation (Mitchell and Everly, 1997). Some strengths from this approach is that it gives people time to process intense events as well as reduce isolation, and help normalize common trauma symptoms. As much as this sounds helpful and beneficial to those in need, there are also concerns that are raised. There could be that possibility that this practice can retraumatize individuals and it could also be used as a form of checklist instead of it being an ongoing care. I believe that CISM can be effective when its culturally responsive, rather than it being a “one-size-fits-all” ordeal.
The “Cultural Problem”
One thing that bothers me is how trauma work can be assumed as a universal experience when trauma can be deeply rooted culturally. Many Black communities experience trauma that is shaped by systemic racism, policing, and historical violence. There are also many immigrants that fear looking for help due to the idea of them potentially getting deported. Native communities also experience trauma through the lens of intergenerational harm and colonialism. If these professions don’t understand important cultural context like these, they could unintentionally abnormalize normal survival responses. Trauma-informed care that is not culturally informed is not proper care.
Trauma Work Requires Structural Change
As a society, we need a cultural shift in how agencies support their own staff. Having quick one page checklists or pamphlets are not going to fix any issues, and so isn’t changing workloads or workplace culture. Real change requires mandatory mental health check ins from managers, bosses, or supervisors, workload that doesn’t exceed human limits, having cultural training, and providing therapists. Trauma-informed care has to include everyone, not just those that are seeking for professional services.
Healing the Healers
Trauma work requires a lot, but most importantly, it requires resilience and clarity. Theres a phrase that we have probably heard many times, but relates to this which is “Make sure to put your oxygen mask first before putting it on for others”. Professionals that are in these fields cannot give what they do not have. To be able to support those that seek healing and help, workers need to know how to protect their own mental and physical well being. If we want a society and a justice system where everyone is treated humanely, we have to start by treating those that help us too. By implementing better policies, having better cultural understandings, and shift our way in how we view trauma, we can move forward by benefitting both the client and the worker.
Resources
Figley, C.R. (1995). Compassion fatigue: Coping with Secondary Traumatic Stress Disorder in Those Who Treat the Traumatized. Brunner/Mazel
Mitchell, J.T., & Everly, G.S. (1997). Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM): A New Era and Standard of Care in Crisis Intervention. Chevron Publishing
Rousseau, D. (2025) Module 1: Understanding Trauma and Resilience. Boston University, METCJ720: Trauma and Crisis Intervention
Spinaris, C., Denhof, M. & Kellaway, J. (2012). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in U.S. Corrections Professionals. Desert Waters Correctional Outreach
Van der Kolk, B.A (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking.