MCN – Witnessing: Understanding the Effects of Overexposure to Stories of Hardship and Trauma and What to Do About It

In this 90-minute webinar, Dr. Weingarten will discuss how clinicians are overexposed to hardship and trauma. The resulting distress may come from the stories they hear from patients or situations they observe directly. Providers may also experience distress when interacting with those who set and administer the policies (e.g., insurers, legislatures) that affect the people they serve. The pandemic has amplified the conditions that challenge both patients and providers.  Providers may also have complex histories.  Current situations may activate providers’ memories of difficult personal experiences, making it harder to cope with contemporary stress. This seminar provides a framework for conceptualizing causes of provider distress, discusses strategies for building provider resilience, and identifies “reasonable hope” as a source of inspiration in the current context of clinical care.