Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others

Posted on September 5th, 2010 by Personal Development Blog

Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others

A longtime trauma worker, Laura van Dernoot Lipsky offers a deep and empathetic survey of the often-unrecognized toll on those working to make the world a better place. We may feel tired, cynical, numb, or like we can never do enough. These, and other symptoms, affect us individually and collectively, sapping the energy and effectiveness we so desperately need if we are to benefit humankind, other animals, and the planet itself. Through Trauma Stewardship, we are called to meet these challenges in an intentional way not by becoming overwhelmed but by developing a quality of mindful presence. Joining the wisdom of ancient cultural traditions with modern psychological research, Lipsky offers a variety of simple and profound practices that will allow us to remake ourselves and ultimately the world.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars A Gift for Those Who Care for Others
This is a wonderful book for anyone who has ever found themselves in a caretaker role - whether it be loved ones who are ill, people we encounter in our work, or friends going through difficult times.

5 Stars THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ!!!!!!!!!!!
How many books do you read that compel you to want to send it to everyone you know? THIS BOOK IS SUCH A BOOK. This work completely transcends it’s genre. At the risk of sounding over-the-top, if you are a citizen of this Planet, you should read this book. It is dense with nugget after nugget of profound Wisdom and Insight into the human condition. Let’s face it, the World we live in poses very challenging circumstances–both Individually and Globally. Lipsky does not sugar-coat these realities. Rather, she courageously probes into the core of human trauma and it’s residual effects while offering a treasure trove of tools for transcendence. The writer’s use of HUMOR is MASTERFUL-she somehow manges to elicit an array of almost “Sedaris-style” belly laughs while addressing the most serious of life’s obstacles. Her profound insight into the recesses, idiosyncracies and trappings of the human mind allows her to offer the golden chord of healing in the form of pragmatic solutions and tools–we just have to grab on. It’s quite a ride!!

5 Stars Eye-opening!
I thought I was doing a good job managing my exposure to others’ trauma, until I read this book. What I discovered is that I’m responding in a multitude of subtle ways that have, over time, altered who I am and how I live. Yet, the message I took from the book, is that I chose this path and therefore, as a trauma steward, have a responsibility to manage my trauma exposure response. Instead of feeling hopeless about who I’ve become, I decided to embrace my responsibility and take back control. I started with simple changes, such as answering my phone when it rings instead of letting it go to voice mail. I noticed an internal shift almost immediately. I had not realized how much I had been avoiding connection and keeping myself isolated as a way to cope with my trauma exposure.

The author’s approach to trauma stewardship is systemic and encompasses a variety of domains and ecologies. As a clinical supervisor, I am able to use this material to help my staff recognize and manage their trauma exposure response. We are all using this knowledge to help our clients’ caregivers and the external systems that work with our clients recognize and manage their exposure to our clients’ trauma. The result of our increased awareness has had a direct and significantly positive effect on our work.

Reading this book was a privilege and a gift. It is original, profound, and eye-opening!

5 Stars For Everyone
The thing about this book that’s so brilliant, is that it is absolutely for anyone who is care taking, not just professionals. The insights, support, and perspective offered are smart, clear, and compassionate. At some point, everyone is taking care of someone else, even if it’s just as someone who works for a non profit organization that provides a service. Burn out is everywhere and this little wonder of a book helped me understand how to take care of myself as well. It’s smart, savvy, and the cartoons really give you a lift. I can’t say enough about it. It is supremely useful and user-friendly! I would have been lost with out it.

5 Stars Steward to the Trauma
Be curious about this book.

And don’t forget to breathe. Consider this book an invitation to come home to yourself. Given the reality of our times and histories of oppressions, our home center can seem far away and blue sky can seem out of reach. Yet Trauma Stewardship is here to remind us why we work for justice and how to sustain ourselves and the transformation we seek. With profound insight, Laura guides us towards spaciousness, hopefulness, choice, and liberation.