At some point in their training or careers, most clinicians will experience intense stress, suffering, loss and critical incidents that can have lasting impacts on their psychological and emotional safety. Despite the prevalence of traumatic stress in healthcare settings, most care team members are not taught about the effects it can have on their mind and bodies. As a result, they normalize traumatic stress symptoms such as exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, emotional disconnection, or the inability to be fully present. In this episode of Caring Greatly, Marie Nutter, BSN, RN, CNOR, a practicing perioperative nurse and trauma-sensitive yoga educator, explores how traumatic stress shows up in the lives and bodies of healthcare workers. Marie describes how traumatic stress gets internalized when stress, grief and loss go unprocessed over time. Drawing from both her professional experience as a nurse and her own journey through personal loss, Marie shares how care team members often learn to push through adversity, only to discover that unresolved stress eventually returns through exhaustion, disconnection and difficulty of concentrating or being fully present. The conversation delves into the power of trauma-informed approaches to healing, including the role of body awareness, grounding practices and trauma-sensitive yoga. Marie explains how small, intentional moments of reconnecting with the body can help restore a sense of choice, presence and control. She also offers reflections on what healthcare organizations and leaders can do to better support their teams, emphasizing that trauma recovery is a shared responsibility that begins with recognizing that trauma is a natural adaptive response. Additionally, leaders can offer compassionate support and provide access to trauma-informed resources. As a seasoned nurse at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis, a trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator, and founder of Mayday Yoga, LLC, Marie educates people about the effects of traumatic stress and loss and how they might mitigate day-to-day exposure in real-time. Through 15 years of navigating high demands of perioperative nursing, 10 years of personal yoga practice, and seven years of offering trauma-informed wellness services to the healthcare community, Marie has learned that people’s professional and human credibility are not defined by their ability to withstand difficult work-life events. In 2020, Marie was named an example of resiliency by Psychology Today Magazine, and she continues to offer individuals and work teams an opportunity to tap into their own inner wellness. Marie Nutter is a leader who cares greatly. Related links: Website: Mayday YogaArticle: 5 Mind-Body Exercises to Help Reduce Traumatic Stress Book: Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others The views and opinions expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Stryker. The provided resources may contain links to external websites or third-party content. We do not endorse, control or assume any responsibility for the accuracy, relevance, legality or quality of the information found on these external sites. Stryker Corporation or its divisions or other corporate affiliated entities own, use or have applied for the following trademarks or service marks: Code Lavender, Caring Greatly, Stryker. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners or holders.
