Release: Self-care for trauma workers

RELEASE: SELF CARE FOR TRAUMA WORKERS tells the story of three mental health workers (David, Laurene, Jackie) that choose to incorporate the arts and meditation as alternative methods in helping youth facing any forms of trauma. They listen first-hand to the traumatic experiences of their clients and as a result the workers are exposed to vicarious trauma. This film showcases their experiences with vicarious trauma while highlighting the variety of methods they put into practice in order to release any stress, allowing them to continue working passionately and effectively with their clients. The purpose of this film is to give the viewer an inside look into the lives of mental health workers and the effects of vicarious trauma, while also giving insight into the individual methods of self-healing that allow them to continue working in a healthy environment. The film introduces how trauma affects not only the individual client but the staff, organization, and community from which they are receiving support. In doing so, the film aims to cultivate protective factors in every level - individual, interpersonal, organizational, and within community. RELEASE seeks to provide staff and administrators who work with traumatized populations an interactive tool to start the conversation to discover appropriate ways to address trauma, stress, and burnout.