In our Volunteer Facilitator Training, someone inevitably asks, “Is it okay to cry in group?” This question speaks to our humanness and how the stories of others affect us in the moment, but what about over the course of time? How do we measure the lasting impact of being entrusted with stories of loss and pain? As we head into the end of this year and the start of the next, you’re likely to see ads, articles, and posts about how to best take care of yourself. Most of those will focus on caring for our physical bodies, but it’s equally important to tend to all parts of ourselves, especially given how the effects of this work can accumulate. That’s why we wanted to revisit our Taking Care of Self: The Cumulative Toll of Trauma Facilitator Tip Sheet. 

Here's an excerpt from the Tip Sheet...



In her book, Trauma Stewardship, Laura Van Dernoot Lipsky writes, “I had to find some way to bear witness to trauma without surrendering my ability to live fully.” After years of working with people experiencing trauma, Laura found herself standing on the edge of a cliff looking out over a beautiful view of the Caribbean and thinking, “I wonder how many people have jumped?” and “Where would the Life Flight helicopter land? Where is the nearest trauma hospital?” When she shared these thoughts with her family, she was shocked to find out she was the only one. That was the watershed moment when she realized how...read more.

We look forward to talking more about Laura’s take on tending to the cumulative toll of this work at your next pre-meeting. 

Take Care, 

Your Dougy Center Group Coordinators