Adapted from Organizational Trauma and Healing by Paula Varga and Sara Harlow (2013)
Trauma can affect organizations just as it affects individuals, families, and communities. And just as silence and lack of understanding about trauma hurts individuals, so too does it hurt organizations. Looking at trauma from an organizational perspective helps in a few ways. It complements individual experience by exposing the systems and structures that influence individuals. Organizational self-care enhances individual self-care, by creating a healthy environment for individuals. Organizational self-knowledge helps with survival in tough times, as we can draw on knowledge of our strengths, resources, and patterns, to assess and strategize.