Trauma-informed training is giving leaders the tools to reduce burnout, resolve conflict, and lead with clarity—even in the most demanding workplaces.
Training for workforce resilience reduces stress leaves, lowers turnover costs, and helps employees perform at their best.
The way to reduce workplace stress and improve productivity isn’t simply managing workloads more effectively. RN-Psychotherapist and trauma recovery expert Dr. Joan Samuels-Dennis says managers and team members alike can use the same tools and training as psychologists and counselors to influence how people perform, relate, and cope at work.
Dr. Samuels-Dennis is at the forefront of trauma recovery science in Canada. Through the Becoming Institute, she leads a comprehensive program as well as workshops designed not just for mental health professionals, but for leaders across every industry who want to build healthier, more productive organizations.
“We are trying to shift how we understand trauma and how we treat it,” says Dr. Samuels-Dennis, describing a new model of trauma recovery—one that addresses the physical, psychological, emotional, and behavioural impacts of stress and adversity.
Nearly half (47 percent) of Canadian workers feel burned out, according to a survey conducted by Robert Half in March 2025.
In a professional environment, everyday interactions can unconsciously trigger past wounds—and many workplaces are blind to these hidden stressors. “If an organization wants to reduce burnout, conflict, and stress, our training provides a bird’s-eye view and an understanding of human behaviour, plus practical tools to create healthier work environments,” she explains.
The Becoming Institute offers counselling courses and resilience training for a wide range of professionals—from HR specialists, to healthcare workers, and law enforcement officers. Its 12-month Trauma Recovery Certificate program equips participants with practical skills to recognize and address the impact of trauma in the workplace.
With a focus on real-world application, the certificate empowers professionals to become resilient within their organizations, enabling them to develop policies and procedures that support workplace resilience.
Whether in classrooms, clinics, or command centres, trauma-aware training is helping professionals strengthen teams, reduce burnout, and lead with greater clarity. In the corporate world, that shift is beginning in HR.
Business and Human Resources
Trauma recovery training for HR professionals, business managers, and corporate executives
HR leaders are responsible for building strong teams and healthy organizational cultures. But what happens when interpersonal conflict starts to derail collaboration?
In corporate environments, unresolved trauma often shows up as conflict, disengagement, or low productivity—but it’s rarely recognized for what it is. Dr. Samuels-Dennis believes HR professionals and business executives are uniquely positioned to lead the shift towards resilient workplaces.
“There is a need for HR specialists and executives to have a trauma-informed perspective,” she says.
Even simple events—like a meeting—can derail productivity when trauma is triggered. “Imagine you’re trying to reach a certain outcome and one person in the meeting becomes offended by the tone of what somebody has said, or the messaging that’s been communicated,” Dr. Samuels-Dennis says. “Now, rather than focusing on the objective, all the energy is turned towards an interpersonal conflict that is at play.”
The result? Projects stall, morale dips, and team cohesion breaks down—costing organizations time, money, and trust. According to a survey by Robert Half, 40 percent of managers report that burnout among staff contributes to decreased productivity. Other repercussions include delayed project timelines (34 percent), higher turnover (30 percent), and lost revenue (24 percent).
And burnout is affecting HR staff themselves too, with one in four HR leaders already burned out, and one in three reporting mental and physical exhaustion, based on a study by Perceptyx.
This workplace resilience training, Dr. Samuels-Dennis says, helps people regulate themselves and not get caught up in the dysregulation of others, allowing teams to stay focused on their goals and mission.
The numbers back up the tangible value of this training: The CEO Roundtable report from the American Heart Association indicates that 94 percent of surveyed employees who participated in resilience training programs had a more positive perception of and commitment to their employer.
Beyond productivity, Dr. Samuels-Dennis emphasizes the deeper benefit of fostering a sense of belonging on their team and in their workplace. “That’s something every single one of us desires.”
Healthcare
Trauma recovery training for nurses, doctors, and paramedical practitioners
Long shifts. Traumatic patient interactions. Staff shortages. Compassion fatigue. For many healthcare workers, these stressors have become the norm. But they also lead to burnout, high turnover, and worse patient outcomes.
A survey conducted by Abacus Data for the National Union of Public and General Employees revealed more than half of workers (55 percent) say Canada’s healthcare system is understaffed, and 61 percent report that they are experiencing heavy workloads and burnout. Another study identifying risk factors for burnout-driven turnover in Canadian healthcare workers found that 44 percent of healthcare workers intending to leave their current job were doing so due to stress or burnout.
Trauma-informed training is helping healthcare professionals improve their well-being and deliver more compassionate, effective care. According to a study of the long-term impact of resilience-building interventions on nurses, pilot programs of resilient training result in improvements, not just in the immediate term, but in the months following.
In some clinics, trauma screening is becoming standard practice—part of a broader shift toward recognizing the emotional and psychological roots of illness. Programs like those led by Dr. Samuels-Dennis encourage providers to understand trauma histories as part of the healing journey.
“By releasing the emotions and healing the wounds that individuals are carrying, we’d suggest that physicians would see their clients become healthier,” says Dr. Samuels-Dennis.
While it may not be practical for every physician to become a trauma recovery specialist, they can build trauma-informed teams within their practices. For example, a physician might send nurses or nurse practitioners to train with the Becoming Institute, creating a dedicated resource to support patients’ trauma recovery.
This not only helps ease the overwhelming demands on physicians, and equips nurses facing their own shortage-related burnout crisis with self-regulation tools, but also opens new income streams and service opportunities within their practices.
Education
Trauma recovery training for teachers, principals, and early childhood educators
Between post-pandemic learning gaps, increased student anxiety, and rising behavioural issues, teachers are doing more than instructing—they’re on the front lines of student mental health. “[The pandemic] drew out a lot of emotions, triggered old traumas, and created new ones because of the stressors we experienced during that time,” says Dr. Samuels-Dennis.
Educators are increasingly tasked with supporting students in emotional crisis—often without the tools to respond effectively. “It’s like being stuck in a hole,” Dr. Samuels-Dennis explains, referencing the dorsal brain state, where students feel shut down and helpless.
These extra pressures are resulting in rising teacher burnout. Even before the pandemic, boards across Ontario were seeing a significant increase in the number of sick days being used compared to the previous decade; time taken off by elementary teachers, for example, climbed by 50 percent. Based on an Annual Ontario School Survey, only 35 percent of principals agreed that their schools have the necessary resources to support the mental health and well-being of its staff.
EdCan Network has reported that teacher stress and burnout can lead to higher stress levels in students, as well as lower motivation. On the flip side, they find that supported, resilient teachers enhance student achievement—and the International Journal of Education Research conducted a study that found Canadian educators who participated in a health intervention program demonstrated significantly higher levels of well-being and recovery afterwards.
Resilience training helps teachers recognize trauma responses, and address their own stress, while creating classrooms that are safer and more supportive for all students.
“Teachers can use this training for self-regulation, but then pass on these tools to their students to support them in self-regulating as well,” says Dr. Samuels-Dennis.
More than a classroom framework, the training helps schools grow into trauma-informed communities. Peer advocates, educational assistants, and school counsellors can train as trauma recovery specialists, creating a system of support embedded in the school itself.
“Schools are communities too,” says Dr. Samuels-Dennis. “So, how do we assess the health of that community and support everyone—not just those who are visibly struggling, but the entire environment?”
First Responders
Trauma recovery training for paramedics, firefighters, police officers, and emergency dispatchers
First responders regularly face high-stakes, life-or-death situations—and often carry the invisible wounds of repeated exposure to trauma. The Centre for Suicide Prevention reports that first responders experience PTSD at twice the rate of the average population.
Global News reported that a survey conducted by the Canadian Police Association in 2020 revealed 35 percent go to work feeling mentally unwell, stressed, or burnt out. Meanwhile, paramedics have the highest rate of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among emergency service workers, higher than police or firefighters, at an estimated 22 percent.
This creates a compounding problem among first responder programs in cities across Canada. In 2024, for example, CBC reported that the City of Winnipeg saw firefighters and paramedics off the job for 17,600 hours in just 10 months due to psychological injuries attributed to a cycle of understaffing, overtime, and burnout.
Resilience training equips first responders with practical tools to recognize and heal their own trauma, reduce emotional reactivity, and support peers through difficult calls and critical incidents. As a result, teams become more resilient, communication improves, and individuals are better able to sustain long, meaningful careers in emergency response.
While many first responders do have access to psychotherapy and other support, Dr. Samuels-Dennis sees an opportunity to expand their impact beyond their own healing. Those who take part in resilience training could take their knowledge directly to the community.
Let’s say a police officer encounters a domestic situation. “Imagine, instead of arresting and jailing that individual, giving them the option of moving them through a trauma recovery process,” she says. “Part of our aim for first responders is to put the tools in their hands to help them self-regulate, but also to help people directly in those situations.”
Dr. Samuels-Dennis also sees the potential for specialized trauma recovery teams embedded within emergency services that provide services to the community. This could transform how care is delivered by those on the frontlines of crisis.
Corrections and Military
Trauma recovery training for corrections officers, prison guards, and armed forces
High-stress environments like prisons and military settings are especially prone to trauma—yet stigma around mental health persists.
Correctional employees are facing a mental health crisis, according to an article in the Health and Justice Journal, with high prevalence of mental health disorders and self-harming behaviours, even when compared to other law enforcement personnel.
Resilience training is helping shift organizational cultures in these fields by giving participants language to talk about their experiences, cope in healthy ways, and lead others through crisis with greater emotional intelligence.
Research in Criminal Justice and Behaviour found that a sense of workplace belongingness and the use of adaptive coping strategies were significant positive predictors of well-being and post-traumatic growth among correctional officers.
Many people who are drawn to careers in corrections have experienced their own trauma. “Those who want to protect have felt unprotected,” says Dr. Samuels-Dennis. “We want to help these individuals who have already experienced trauma, and there’s no better way to overcome trauma than to understand it at its core and enable them to use these techniques on themselves.”
Beyond the personal healing the Becoming Institute offers, the training also equips participants to better support others in the field. Dr. Samuels-Dennis gives the example of people who are incarcerated. “These individuals are so traumatized—it’s often what’s brought them to commit crimes themselves,” she says. “They’re not seen as victims, even though they are victims.”
Resilience training enables correctional officers and military professionals to be more compassionate and empathetic, while sharpening their vigilance on the job.
“When you go through the process of healing, which is embedded in our program, you also go through training on how to become a trauma recovery specialist,” says Dr. Samuels-Dennis, explaining how this training makes these professionals more effective in their roles.
“It opens your eyes and enhances clarity. You’re more attentive, discerning and watchful, and you can anticipate when emergencies might arise… Your intuition operates on a whole different level.”
Social Services
Trauma recovery training for social workers, psychotherapists, doulas, and non-profit workers
Social workers, PSWs, and others in caregiving roles often enter the field with a deep sense of compassion—but constant exposure to others’ trauma can lead to emotional exhaustion and disengagement.
The results of a study in the International Social Work journal indicate that social workers are experiencing concerning levels of mental health issues, with significantly lower levels of resilience in younger social workers. Forty percent reported experiencing depression—a rate four times higher than the general population—while one in five reported PTSD.
The research found a trauma and resilience-informed approach to workplace policies and practices is urgently required to support social workers’ mental health needs. Resilience training empowers them to build healthy emotional boundaries, reconnect to their purpose, and support others more effectively.
Social workers understand the importance of trauma recovery, but often aren’t taught therapy techniques unless they go on to pursue a Master’s degree or PhD. “What the Becoming Institute offers in one year is for social workers to have this specialized knowledge, becoming activated in a way that they have not been able to realize before,” says Dr. Samuels-Dennis.
For practicing therapists, the Becoming Institute’s techniques aren’t meant to replace their own. “What we’re suggesting is that you add our technique to your toolbox, and then simply apply it when you see that it’s more fruitful for the client and for yourself.”
Beyond traditional therapeutic settings, the training also offers a unique opportunity for non-profit organizations—for example, those supporting prenatal and postnatal health. Trauma recovery, Dr. Samuels-Dennis notes, can play a critical role even before conception. “If a doula works with someone 12 months before they become pregnant, and that person heals their ancestral trauma, their genes can return to a balanced state,” she says. “That’s the perfect time to do trauma recovery, because what we now know is that our cells change after trauma recovery.”
It’s a reminder that the real work of leadership starts within—and its ripple effects can reach farther than we think.
Ready to lead with more clarity, calm, and impact? Explore the Becoming Institute’s 12-month Trauma Recovery Certificate and bring resilience to the heart of your organization.
Contributing Writer