Trauma on the Front Line: A Practical Guide for Caregivers Supporting Survivors

Every day, frontline workers and caregivers come face-to-face with trauma and its effects, in the people they serve, and in themselves.

Yet so many serve without the training to recognize it, respond to it, or recover from it. This book changes that.

This guide holds three books in one: giving you the critical tools you need.

1. Learn the basics of trauma-informed care. Trauma is the #1 public health issue that remains virtually unrecognized. Bring your best to those you support by understanding how trauma affects the brain and body and how to give effective, compassionate care.
2. Use field-tested strategies. Address realities frontline workers face daily, from easing day-to-day frustrations to serious frontline injuries like burnout, compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, retraumatization, and direct trauma on the job. Your wellbeing matters.
3. Begin healing. Trauma therapy is often so expensive that it becomes out of reach. This book speaks directly to those living with the effects of trauma - many of whom have been misdiagnosed, misunderstood, or told their pain can't be changed. Educate yourself about the foundations of recovery and use our Body, Mind, & Spirit Toolbox to create your own resource for regulation, relief, and renewal.

This book is for:

• Frontline workers in any field
• Volunteers
• Unpaid caregivers
• Anyone who encounters survivors of trauma in their work or personal lives
• Survivors of trauma and those who walk beside them

Whether you are helping others, healing yourself, or both, this book is here to give you hope.

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"Working with high risk individuals and communities is all consuming and there's a real need for an easy to read resource such as this book. It's meant for busy frontline workers who welcome quick access to sound insights about complex issues and for caregivers in agencies with limited access to training and continuing education. This is a book for frontline caregivers who find themselves triggered or rewounded as they engage with their people. It's a tool that will help us better understand the toll our work takes on us and offers good insight into self-care."

Dr. Rick Tobias

Community Advocate & President Emeritus of Yonge Street Mission

"This book distills a lifetime of experience and decades of learning into a useful, accessible tool for anyone working with people who have suffered from trauma and its effects."

Stephen Martin, MSW, RSW

Children's Mental Health

"The book is presented in a language and approach that will be very helpful for frontline workers who want to understand and respond compassionately to the impacts of trauma on the people in their care. It reminds us to keep looking for the unique and beautiful person behind the diagnosis."

Sue Garvey, MSW

Executive Director of Ottawa's Cornerstone Shelter for Women (Ret.)

"What an amazingly well-written book for those working on the front lines! Practical information on how to work with a wide range of clientele with PTSD and how to knowledgeably care for one's staff and self as well. I have so many friends who work on the front lines of non-profit agencies that have wanted and needed a book like this for so long!"

Stephanie Brown, Survivor

Susan Brandt is a counsellor, consultant, speaker, and community worker who brings extensive life and professional experience to her work. She has been described as a community leader, teacher, holistic healer, and spiritual leader, and has worked with individuals and organizations in areas such as trauma, mental health, addiction, and homelessness. Her approach draws on training and experience in psychology, nursing, criminology, social work, spirituality, and the creative arts.

Cielia is a therapist and author specializing in trauma-informed care for frontline workers. Her work focuses on resilience, burnout recovery, and practical support for those helping others.