Approach

At Cadence Wellness we prioritizes sensitivity, safety, and healing while helping clients navigate their career-related stress and trauma. 

1. Understanding Trauma's Impact: Recognize that high-stress careers can contribute to trauma, whether through chronic stress, workplace harassment, or other adverse experiences. Understand that trauma affects individuals both psychologically and physiologically, leading to symptoms that may include anxiety, depression, and emotional dysregulation.
2. Safety and Trust: Create a safe and supportive therapeutic environment where clients feel comfortable sharing their experiences and vulnerabilities. Building trust is crucial, as many individuals with trauma histories may be wary of opening up.
3. Empowerment: Empower clients to have a voice and choice in their treatment. Avoid re-traumatization by respecting their autonomy and boundaries. Collaborate with clients to set treatment goals and establish a sense of control over their healing process.
4. Trauma Awareness: Educate clients about the physiological and emotional effects of trauma on the body and mind. Help them understand the connection between their high-stress careers and the potential for trauma. This knowledge can reduce shame and self-blame.
5. Cultivate Resilience: Focus on building resilience as a means of coping with stress and trauma. Teach clients coping skills, relaxation techniques, and mindfulness practices to help them regulate emotions and manage the impact of high-stress situations.
6. Addressing Triggers: Identify potential triggers in the workplace and develop strategies for managing them. This may involve assertiveness training, boundary-setting, and effective communication techniques.
7. Trauma-Specific Therapy: Offer trauma-specific therapies, such as Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) or Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), if appropriate. These therapies can help clients process and heal from past trauma.
8. Self-Care: Promote self-care practices that enhance physical and emotional well-being, such as regular exercise, nutrition, and sufficient sleep. Encourage clients to prioritize self-care routines.
9. Mindfulness and Grounding Techniques: Teach clients mindfulness and grounding exercises to help them stay present, reduce anxiety, and manage the emotional toll of their careers.
10. Advocacy and Support: Provide resources and support for clients seeking to address workplace issues, such as harassment or discrimination. Encourage them to seek legal or HR assistance when necessary.
11. Community and Peer Support: Connect clients with support groups or communities where they can share experiences and learn from others who have faced similar challenges.
12. Ongoing Assessment: Continuously assess the impact of high-stress careers on clients' well-being and adjust treatment plans accordingly. Trauma-informed care is an ongoing process that evolves with the client's needs.

A trauma-informed approach recognizes the complex interplay between high-stress careers, Operator Syndrome, and trauma. It seeks to provide compassionate, supportive, and empowering care that promotes healing, resilience, and well-being while addressing the unique challenges of individuals in demanding professional environments. Eye Movement Desensitization and reprocessing, Cognitive Processing Therapy are used to facilitate this transformation.