Trauma and Worker Care
by Missy Gray
MRN Care Specialist
Journeying with global workers over the years, I have been privileged to hear many stories of victory, joy, connection, and growth. Stories of cross-cultural relationships where adventures were had, laughter and fun was abundant, and families and teams were forged together in meaningful service of God in amazing places. The Kingdom grows, and life is hard but good. These are fun and exciting stories to hear.
I have also been trusted to hear other kinds of stories. Some workers have shared stories of prolonged separation without knowing where a spouse was or if they were safe; of living and serving through natural disasters; or of being robbed or attacked at gun or knifepoint. Others spoke of watching people they love and serve in unspeakable situations with no way to help; of physical or sexual abuse; of losing a family member when they were across the world; of leaving the country they serve and not being able to get back in; or of navigating severe health issues for themselves or their children.
Many of these crises were terrible things that happened once, while others were ongoing. At times, it was as if one crisis after another came, each new wave hitting before they could pop their head up for a breath. Some of these harrowing events actually happened, and others were fears or narrow misses. They all had significant effects. Most of the workers I know in these stories continued on, while others soon or eventually returned home, at least in part because of these traumatic events. When we are invited into these stories as care providers or liaisons, we have an opportunity to serve these servants well as they process and heal from difficult times.
All traumas are not alike. There are acute traumas, severe one-time events like an earthquake or an assault. A chronic trauma is when that same trauma happens repeatedly, like if that same country had repeated earthquakes, or if kids at the local school were threatening your child daily. When you are affected by multiple different crises over time, such as living through that earthquake, only to have your wallet stolen, lose a parent, and get stuck in a riot near your neighborhood—this is called complex trauma. You can also be affected by observing the severe traumas that others experience, a phenomenon called secondary trauma.
Global workers in most areas are much more likely to experience traumatic events themselves or encounter secondary trauma. Some of these crisis events are severe or extreme, while others are significant to the person but not overly endangering. Trauma can affect the actual wiring of the brain, our thoughts and reactions, our emotional well-being, our physical health, and our relationships (among other things). These effects can be long-lasting and can resurface when a real or perceived event gives the same feeling or triggers memories from previous traumas.
According to Dr. and Dr. Schaefer in their excellent book Trauma and Resilience: A Handbook, “trauma not only affects our brains, our relationships, and our perceptions, but severe trauma can also shatter our assumptions about God, the world, others, and ourselves.”1 Global workers are not immune from these feelings of disorientation. Traumatic events are very difficult to navigate in the moment and immediate aftermath; but their long-term effects can be just as devastating. In many cases, workers feel that they can’t process their complex feelings about faith because of all that such questions and doubts might affect for them.
Drs. Schafer go on to talk through three potential outcomes of a person’s experience of trauma:
they can recover, but be profoundly affected
they can recover, and be fully restored
they can recover, and be restored to a place stronger than before
This final type of recovery is called post-traumatic growth, and it can be a space over time where resilience is strengthened and, for believers, where faith is deepened. This level of healing, in conjunction with the unfathomable work of the Holy Spirit, is rarely something that happens without intentional cognitive and emotional work. As care providers, this kind of post-traumatic growth should be our hope for workers we support that go through traumatic events on the field. Let’s talk about some ways that we can support workers when a trauma is shared:
Before the trauma occurs:
Prepare in advance. Research has indicated that advanced crisis preparation training is one of the best ways to help a global worker to cope well when crisis occurs. Helping a worker to know prior to launch or early on the field some traumas that might occur in their context, the usual impacts of those traumas, what internal coping skills they have, and what external resources they have available and how to access those go a long way toward building resilience in future times of crisis.2
Encourage healthy practices such as regular Sabbath and rest, combining meaningful work with play, balancing draining tasks with energizing ones, building reciprocal relationships, and engaging spiritual practices and connection to build stores of resilience for hard times. Affirm these healthy practices when you see them.
Be a safe place for people to talk about their painful experiences. Show you are willing to hear painful stories by asking questions about the hard things as well as the good.
When the trauma(s) occur:
Perform Psychological First Aid if the trauma is fresh, or the crisis is still happening:
Stabilize: Are they (still) in danger? Do they need to be moved or picked up immediately? Do they need medical care?
Reduce distress: Help them to breathe deeply, be present in the moment to signal to their brain that they are safe (if they are not yet safe, revisit stabilize!) and be a calming presence.
Identify basic needs: Are there any pressing needs? Food, rest, shelter, solitude, someone with them in person? What do they need right now?
Provide practical care: What things need to happen next? Legal consult? Police reporting? In-person support from someone who speaks the local language? Medical intervention? Help getting back in-country?
Enhance coping: Help them identify things that will help them in the next hours or days, based on what they know has worked in the past or clear, doable plans.
Facilitate access to ongoing support: Make a specific plan to reconnect soon to determine what kind of follow up care they can utilize, whether relational or professional.
When trauma(s) have occurred:
Validate the experience and the emotion in the story, avoiding our tendency to minimize, move straight to solutions, find the lesson, or overspiritualize. When the person you’re supporting does any of those things, gently remind them that God is with them in their pain and struggle, and that you are there for them as well.
Listen, listen, listen; and then before you give advice or talk about what to do, ask questions and listen some more. It is detrimental for a traumatized person to be told how they should feel or act. You might think that their reaction seems intense given the story you have heard: remember that other trauma, emotional health, history, or other factors might be contributing to their experience of the crisis, all of which are valid. If you are struggling to feel compassion, you might pray (repeatedly, if necessary) that the Lord will help you see the person or situation with His eyes.
Help them make a plan to make space and receive grace if they need to take a break, or delegate some work, or if they aren’t quite as focused or productive or motivated as usual. Trauma and subsequent healing takes a lot of the energy and focus that might have usually gone elsewhere. Point them to rest and connecting with the Lord in whatever way they can.
Encourage valued living. During times of stress, living in line with your values and engaging things that feel meaningful can often get neglected or stop altogether. Helping your worker to engage things that feel Kingdom-oriented and valuable can help greatly.
Follow up. Be faithful in prayer, and tell them. Let them know that you are available when they need to talk. Ask them specifically how you can support them going forward, and do what you say you will do. Reaching back out to them instead of saying “call me if you need anything” goes a long way.
Normalize and help facilitate finding and utilizing extra resources, such as therapists, spiritual directors, or support groups as needed. If faith crises, negative emotions or responses are ongoing after the event, additional support, processing, and therapeutic interventions may be both pressing and critical.
Jesus told us: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) With the Holy Spirit as our guide, may we be agents of peace in the flesh when the workers we serve experience trouble, so they can come out of crisis with more resilience and deeper faith and connection to their Lord.
Resources:
1Schaefer, MD, and Schaefer PhD. Trauma and Resilience, A Handbook: Effectively Supporting Those Who Serve God. 1st ed., Frauke C. Schaefer, MD, Inc, 2022.
2Crisis Care Resources Page. Mobile Member Care Team, 17 Apr. 2020, http://www.mmct.org/.