Vicki and Wilma Schroeder discuss the new CTRI workshop, De-escalating Potentially Violent Situations for Health Care Workers. They review de-escalation as primarily verbal intervention aimed at calming escalation before it becomes physical, and note violence in health care has increased dramatically since the pandemic. Wilma outlines challenges specific to health care, including patients arriving with already elevated stress baselines (especially in emergency rooms), family distress, system and environmental “enablers”, and cognitive impairment factors such as dementia, ICU psychosis, or substance effects. Read More

Once again, Vicki and Joddie sit down to explore a topic together. This time it’s the familiar concept of the wounded healer. They explore some variations of this idea, from Carl Jung’s archetype to psychological links to vicarious trauma, and consider whether this is a strength or a hurdle to counsellor development. They also discuss an Indigenous authors’ view of interconnection with healing of the land and the reciprocal role of healing in a helping role. Inviting listeners to muse about their own connections to this topic, Vicki and Joddie find common ground in embracing the strengths from acknowledging and honouring our own wounds. Read More

For something a little different, Vicki and Joddie put their heads together to explore a topic new to each of them: place attachment. They unpack the links with relationship attachment, building a sense of belonging, and identity formation. They each share strategies they found helpful that listeners can use for strengthening their overall wellness. Read More