In a community where more than 70% of the population had a connection to 9/11 or wartime trauma (due to the proximity of a marine base), staff at the County social service agency for children faced increasing needs and were fatigued. At the invitation of the Executive Director, my facilitation team hosted a full-day workshop for the agency’s 70 employees.

 

In small and large group dialogues, participants started by sharing meaningful moments – interactions when they remembered their work had impact – and then dove deep into topics such as safety and de-escalation; communication and coping skills; wellness, development, and growth.

 

Participants completed the workshop with a shared commitment to fostering a culture of listening and open communication (rather than relying on perceptions), cross-functional collaboration across the organization, and prioritizing self-care to enable increased capacity to care for others.