
The value of lived experience in the support of those recovering from trauma
‘The value of lived experience in the support of those recovering from trauma’ blog article was written by Chris Cussen, Lead of Product Development, Content Creation, and Projects for Therapeutic Services at Australian Childhood Foundation.
Pictured below are pages from my grandfather’s 1941 military service booklet that I found when cleaning up at Mum’s. Isn’t it strange to glimpse your grandparents as young people?
I was intrigued by one of the prompts asking him to note his ‘Trade or Calling’ when he signed up. They didn’t call it a job or role in those days. According to this document, people worked in a trade or in response to a calling. I thought this was rather beautiful, and I wondered which category my Pa was responding to when he wrote ‘school teacher’.
It made me think about how any of us might categorise our work if presented with the two options. For me, I think there are aspects of my childhood that have contributed to the appeal or calling of working with and for children and young people. It feels meaningful to work in the service of children and families healing from trauma, and I value the core purpose of our organisation – defending the right of all children to a safe and loving childhood.
What about you? Trade or Calling?
Psychiatrist Carl Jung – and numerous others after him – have put forward the idea that many of us who are drawn to healing professions do so because we have faced pain in our lives. Jung proposed that pain and healing are inextricably linked.
Further, that to be healed is not to live without pain, and that our wounds can be our greatest strength.
There can be insight and understanding that comes with our emotional wounding. This is not to say that those of us with old wounds can’t be more hurt by our work or that our unexamined hurt always serves the healing processes with others.
Our unconsidered past can hinder the way we try to support our people, and our past requires attention. Nevertheless, our pain is an indication of our humanness and can help us resonate with those we work alongside.
Workers with lived experience possess resources others don’t and know the terrain in important ways that are valuable.
We bring our whole selves to work when we seek to support those who are recovering from harm and trauma. It is useful and smart that organisations have reflective spaces and opportunities for staff to support them to more deeply consider their work.
Regularly convened forums like supervision and reflective practice are worthwhile when done safely and well. When we support workers in this way, we can honour the knowing born from lived experience and better support our clients.
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