\u201cI think a lot of us don\u2019t often admit that there are days where you go into work and it feels like you’re working at 110 percent and then there are other days where it feels a lot less heavy,\u201d Haynes-Thoby said. \u201cDuring the pandemic, what we heard was lots of staff described feeling as if they were at 110 percent every single day and then going home to loved ones and being at 110 percent there. We were witnessing staff achieve levels of burnout that were different than we had seen before. The candle was definitely burning high at both ends.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Exploring trauma-informed self-care and self-compassion, the staff discussed what it meant to rev up and wind down. Together, they curated two music playlists to mindfully foster these experiences in their day-to-day lives.<\/p>\n
Repositioning the function of restoration was at the forefront of conversations around stress management, compassion fatigue and burnout prevention, reflecting on how to navigate these feelings and provide space for oneself in moments of need.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe hoped to support staff to let go of some of the self-blame that arose as the pandemic worsened,” Haynes-Thoby said. “This was challenging, as frontline staff at the shelter are people who are really dedicated to helping others. This is their life\u2019s mission, and they really struggled with the constant exhaustion. The exhaustion seemed to lead to a self-judgment, as if the problem were rooted internally.<\/p>\n
Too often, we don’t ask the question of whether or not we need a break or just additional support,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n
\u201c… It was important to not only allow space for this, but to proactively facilitate an environment that allowed this. I remember staff describing their experiences over the past week and feeling as if a load had been taken off by being able to name those experiences \u2014 just being able to acknowledge that the challenges faced during the first wave of the pandemic were not the result of a deficit within them as human beings. Those spaces allowed them to acknowledge that what we were facing was not within the realm of what had ever been imagined as normal within our lifetimes.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Holding space for grief was also a critical conversation as staff continued to navigate unprecedented circumstances and face loss both personally and professionally. Discussions centered around what resources were available to support staff and how to express needing additional support.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really, really important messages that they needed to hear, and it was helpful in reframing thoughts and ideas and providing some soothing to ourselves in the harder times,\u201d Gruver said.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the workshops examined cultural awareness and humility, social justice and anti-racism to address race-based and identity-based hate historically affecting homeless and houseless populations and to improve equity and cultural reflective services within the shelter.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe workshops provided a space for staff to acknowledge their own needs and to reconnect to the gifts that call each of us to this work,\u201d Hayne’s-Thoby said. \u201c… It was really awesome to witness the staff\u2019s response to the workshops and to hear about the aspects that would stick with them.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gruver shared that Haynes-Thoby\u2019s guidance and the tools the staff gained made all the difference during such a trying time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was just such a wonderful thing to attend those workshops and so valuable for a lot of staff \u2014 and I still have staff who talk about it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
There were even staff who fell ill, but still logged on to participate and engage in the conversations.<\/p>\n
\u201cI really think that the strengths of the workshop resided in the mutual learning community that was facilitated,\u201d Haynes-Thoby said.<\/p>\n
But beyond the significant impact these workshops had on the halls of GRACE, this work also impacted counseling students at the College of Education.<\/p>\n
Not only did doctoral students assist in the planning of the workshops, but they also collected evaluative data to explore the experiences of these frontline workers during the pandemic.<\/p>\n
Additionally, Haynes-Thoby hosted a panel discussion with diverse trauma experts from across the country for masters-level students. Gruver served as one of the panelists.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just get folks who are really passionate about their work, even during the pandemic, and who are committed to showing up in for the community,\u201d Haynes-Thoby said. \u201cI think you could wake those folks up at three in the morning and whisper about this work and they\u2019d be ready to talk and teach about it.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think that’s what students picked up on as well, and I think one of the really beautiful things about this is our students are often people who will become those experts too,\u201d she continued.<\/p>\n
By doing so, Haynes-Thoby sought to demonstrate to students the power of trauma-informed care and the opportunities that await them as they continue to progress in their programs and their professions.<\/p>\n
Looking to the future, Haynes-Thoby hopes to continue to support the invaluable work of GRACE Marketplace and other frontline organizations across Alachua County. She hopes to provide students with more opportunities to engage with community organizations and to continue promoting the importance of trauma-informed interventions that benefit the people and families that makeup our surrounding communities.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think about the mission and intention of the University of Florida and our commitment to making sure that our presence impacts the community positively,\u201d she said. \u201cSo many of our students are already really connected and committed to this work, so they need to see us modeling what engaging and providing tangible supports to the community can look like.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n