The Athens Area Community Foundation, in partnership with Envision Athens and the Athens Wellbeing Project, is hosting a free online training on trauma-informed care on Thursday, May 28, from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. EST.

The training will be presented by Dr. Brian Bride, director of the School of Social Work at Georgia State University. It will cover how to provide care to yourself and others using a trauma-informed perspective and will focus primarily on secondary trauma. Secondary trauma is typically experienced by persons who have been impacted by their work with traumatized clients or individuals, such as hospital staff or social workers*. Dr. Bride’s expertise in secondary trauma will provide a cornerstone tool in our community toolbox of trauma-informed care.

Trauma-informed care recognizes the role trauma plays in the lives of individuals and seeks to shift the clinical perspective from “what’s wrong with you?” to “what happened to you?” by recognizing, accepting, and lending legitimacy to the symptoms and behavioral health manifestations that can stem from this trauma.

Given the highly stressful and trying nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, understanding the presence and impact of trauma is a critical ability for anyone to possess. It is especially important for those caring for both themselves and others.

Athens area nonprofits, healthcare professionals, first responders, librarians, business owners, and clubs are encouraged to register for the session, but Sarah McKinney, President and CEO of the Athens Area Community Foundation, says that everyone can benefit from the training. “This training could not be occurring at a better time,” said McKinney. “The COVID-19 pandemic has created immense levels of stress and fatigue in not only front-line staff and workers, but also across the spectrum of Athens area citizens; everyone has been negatively impacted by this virus in some manner.”

Registration for the training is now open and is available here. This training opportunity has been made possible through grant funds from The Pittulloch Foundation in partnership with Resilient Georgia.

If you would like further information or have any questions, please contact [email protected].