“Burnout is real”: The importance of engaging in self-care practices when faced with trauma

Healing trauma has never been an easy process but programs like Healing Hurt People help to promote recovery in traumatized, angry young men. This program, in partnership with local medical services, aims to provide therapy in place of violence, which would only cause more trauma down the road. Those who stick with the program have found great success in overcoming their pasts.

Open dialogue is gaining traction as an alternative mental health care approach. Open dialogue uses fewer prescriptions and less time spent in the hospital by involving the patient and their family in conversations with doctors to decide on the best method of care. With an open dialogue approach, studies have shown that after five years, 86% of patients with severe mental health conditions had returned to work or school and only 17% of them remained on medication.

As governments order lockdowns of cities and countries due to coronavirus concerns, many people are at risk for experiencing mental health issues such as loneliness and anxiety. To combat this, people are turning to telemedicine for counseling consultations and to keep in touch with loved ones, as well as activities such as exercise to improve moods.

The Alternatives to Violence Project, an international nonprofit, provides workshops around conflict resolution, personal growth, and other social skills to people experiencing incarceration. While a large-scale organization, individual prisons have the agency to implement the workshops. In Washington’s Pierce county, they tailor their workshops for veterans experiencing incarceration, teaching community-building, self-reflection, listening, and de-programming aggression and violence.

The rise of natural disasters due to climate change in India has had a psychological impact on many, including children, but psychologists in the state of Kerala are working to address the trauma through targeted training. From better equipping school counselors and providing on-site counselors for students, the communities have reported a decrease in fear in the children.

Individuals at a high risk of suicide can benefit from targeted, accessible, and client-centered care. As part of a new mental health initiative, the Czech government is funding mental health centers for patients at high risk of suicide. The target prevention includes care teams consisting of psychiatrists, nurses, and social workers, all involved in different aspects of the client’s care.

Across the country, police departments are increasingly providing mental health services for law enforcement. Among the services deployed are internal support teams, post-incident debriefs, psychological first aid, and wellness and stress education. While they may take different forms and approaches, they are all driven by the need to support and manage the stress and trauma that come with the job.

Climate change is impacting not just the environment but the way in which humans are able to exist within the altered landscape. As ecosystems shift, storms worsen and loss of homes continues to rise, the mental health industry is looking towards changing traditional practices in order to account for clients presenting with "eco-anxiety and climate grief."

In the United Kingdom, loneliness is an epidemic. Those who feel chronically lonely may have weaker immune systems, an increased risk of cancer, and shorter life spans. These afflictions and risks associated with loneliness put a strain on the country's National Health Service. Many organizations like AgeUK, which offers companionship matching, and Silverline, which offers a 24-hour conversation helpline, specifically target the elderly. But research shows that young people are lonely too, which is why these solutions are an important addition to fighting loneliness.

A program in Philadelphia is pioneering new ways to treat the urban wounded. By seeing it as PTSD, and not pointing fingers, the city is using mental health tools to decrease violence and heal communities.