About

The vision for HeadsUpUS is a result of my experience with a population of First Responders where vicarious trauma had become a silent crisis. At the time, an opioid epidemic within a local community was changing the nature of police work. Officers served as First Responders, rendering medical aid during chronic overdoses.

During their duties, these officers routinely witnessed traumatic events that impacted their psyche, family, and worldview. The consequence of which was increased risk substance abuse, declining mental health, and psychological responses due to the overwhelming loss of young lives they witnessed daily.

Witnessing the experience of First Responders led me to research the possibility of this silent phenomenon in teachers and the impact of cumulative and chronic exposure to the traumatic experiences of their students in the classroom. Trauma-informed schools were designed to support children with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) as a priority, but there was little research to support the adoption of vicarious trauma in teachers and the field of education.

The goal of HeadsUpUS is to help teachers continue the meaningful work they provide to students, families, communities, and the world. We do so by spreading awareness, developing informed leadership, and by promoting shared responsibility between self-advocacy and organizational wellness.

HeadsUpFL Workshop Information

Our professional development workshop is designed to educate and support teachers who may be at risk of vicarious trauma as a result of chronic and cumulative exposure to the adverse childhood experiences of students in the classroom.

Workshop Topics

Individual Well-Being

• The impact of vicarious trauma on multiple levels of functioning on well-being

• Vicarious trauma and a disintegrated view of self and others

• Empathetic sensitivity as a strength and a vulnerability

Organizational Wellness

• Schools as traumatogenic environments

• Leadership capacity and organizational support

• Organizational and operational stressors

Resilience

• Self-advocacy

• Coping skills

• Shared trauma growth

What is vicarious trauma?

Vicarious trauma in teachers is a process of negative transformation that can occur in a teacher as a result of chronic and cumulative exposure to the adverse childhood experiences of students in their classroom.

Signs and Symptoms of Vicarious Trauma