Following on from her graduation as a TSY facilitator, and utilising her on-going counselling studies, in 2017 Karen created the Trauma Stewardship Programme. The TSP is a method of combatting secondary trauma in those groups most vulnerable due to their constant exposure to the trauma of others around them. These include the NHS, Fire Services, Armed Services and many more

The TSP was piloted in The Royal Bournemouth NHS Trust critical care team and after proven documented success was adopted in 2019. Karen is currently taking the TSP into other NHS teams and public sectors

The Trauma Stewardship Programme is a proven, effective, hands-on approach to reducing and preventing secondary trauma symptoms typically present in those working in highly stressed environments and constantly exposed to pain and suffering.

Ask Me About The Programme

One-to-One Sessions

The initial one-to-one sessions are a fundamentally important and integral part of the Trauma Stewardship Programme. They serve to establish a positive trusted relationship between the trauma facilitator and participant. These totally confidential sessions allow participants a safe space to explore why they were drawn to their profession in the first place and what motivates them, or hinders them, in reaching their full potential. These sessions allow participants a qualitative, analytical discussion place and realisation of how the future programme will aid them. It is a key element in the success of the overall programme.

Group Sessions

The group sessions focus around TSY, an interoceptive (within the body) technique of practicing postures and stretches whilst noticing how the stretch effects the breathing and other feelings in the body. Guidance is given to hold the stretch, whilst controlling the breathing and relaxing the face, then coming out of the pose and hence back to the present moment. The poses are all Yoga based, hence the term Trauma Sensitive Yoga, but it is learning and understanding the association between how the body reacts to the pose, with how the body reacts to an overwhelming situation, that gives the ability to the regulate the breathing and softening the face in overly challenging situations that is the key to beginning to deal with the many issues of secondary trauma.

 

Stewardship

The programme helps staff address how their working practices are having a detrimental effect on their physical, mental and emotional wellbeing and slowly introduces strategies to minimise these secondary trauma symptoms.
It is not easy guiding staff to look inwardly, consider themselves, and realise how the effects of constant exposure to the trauma of others is impacting on their own health. The longer a staff member works in this kind of profession the harder it is for them to see the extent of these changes, as they occur gradually over the years. The changes are seldom seen or acknowledged until the body is reaches overload and then they manifest themselves in serious ill health, burnout and a variety of mental health problems.