5 tips for facilitating more trauma-informed meetings
What is trauma?
Trauma is a response to a distressing event. This can be either a one-time event or a longer term series of events. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is one widely known diagnosis. Beyond that, many folks live with trauma without qualifying for that diagnosis.
Why think about trauma as a facilitator?
I recently went to the 20-hour Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga training. This training led me to reflect on how facilitators can build more trauma-sensitive meetings.
6% of the population in the United States will have PTSD at some point in their lives, and many more are living with trauma (reference). Most workplaces will have staff who have experienced trauma. The key questions on my mind are:
What is our responsibility as facilitators, to attendees who are living with trauma?
How can facilitators encourage participation from all attendees, including those living with trauma?
5 tips for providing more trauma-informed facilitation
I am not a mental health professional, and not an expert in treating trauma and PTSD. But, I do feel that folks who hold power (this includes facilitators!) should seek to reduce harm through continuous learning and improvement. Here are five ways I am thinking of building care for folks with trauma, into my facilitation.
Build transparency and communicate expectations
I am exploring how to be more transparent about what attendees can expect when I am facilitating. I share the agenda as early as possible to build transparency. I also ask for feedback on the agenda. This offers a chance for attendees to let me know of their needs, and to correct any areas I have misunderstood.
Honor commitments
If I scheduled the meeting for one hour, I make every effort to end it on time. If the agenda promises a break, I ensure a break happens. Honoring commitments includes ensuring there is follow-up to the meeting. This can include assigning someone to take notes, and deciding as a group how to follow up on post-meeting actions.
Provide choices and build autonomy
Build a meeting culture that empowers folks to attend to their needs. Consider how you can build a sense of autonomy within attendees:
🎦Do webcams always need to be on, or can folks choose based on how they are feeling? Address this at the beginning of meetings.
🥤Encourage taking breaks without pressure to explain why (e.g., “let us know in the chat if you need to step away for any reason.”). Folks shouldn't need to clue us in to their Type 2 diabetes diagnosis to be able to go grab a snack.
Actively address power and power imbalances
Where there is a group of people, power and power imbalances will occur! Develop the skills to build more equitable participation and contribution. I recommend AORTA’s Facilitate for Freedom Fundamentals Training as a place to start.
Ask attendees what they need and solicit feedback
Needs will differ between participants! Provide a way for attendees to tell you what they need (including access needs), before the meeting. After the meeting, ask for feedback and build that feedback into your next meeting.
My goal as a facilitator is to reduce barriers to participation. When folks can prioritize their own self care, they will show up as more present and engaged in the conversations where we need their input. I will continue thinking about this topic - especially how it supports or conflicts with dismantling white supremacy culture in workplaces. If you have thoughts on this, I hope you’ll reach out to share them!
Resources for diving deeper
I am grateful to the following organizations for facilitation training I have received:
Resources for facilitators working with populations with higher rates of trauma and PTSD:
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