We have all experienced trauma in one form or another. Some experiences are more traumatic than others, but it’s trauma all the same. In the work place, situations that arise can trigger past trauma and put us in “fight, flight or freeze” mode. As an organization, we are committed to non-violence and non-violent communication. This commitment calls us to be mindful when we communicate with our colleagues and customers. We do not always know what they are going through, which is why we ask, “What happened to you?” instead of, “What is wrong with you?”
The New Year is a time to put the past behind us, build a brighter future and strive to be better. Now is a good time to organize peer support groups, discuss non-violent interventions, or maybe read up on mindfulness. The Sanctuary Core Team recently published a poster of the reenactment and empowerment triangles to help us recognize when we are allowing past trauma to impact our relationships and interactions in a negative way. It also shows the empowerment triangle as a tool to help us shift to a focus on possibilities, solutions and building trust.