Organizational trauma is pervasive across nonprofit organizations, government agencies, and businesses. However, the phenomenon has received scant attention or been misidentified. Much work on organizational trauma ignores the systemic nature of traumatization and the insidious, negative consequences to organizations once trauma becomes embedded in organizational culture. In fact, organizational trauma and traumatization seriously harm organizations; impacts may be drastic and long lasting. Organizational Trauma and Healing is the first book about organizational trauma using an organizational lens. Organizational trauma is a collective experience that overwhelms the organization's defensive and protective structures and leaves the entity temporarily vulnerable and helpless or permanently damaged. Traumatic events can be sudden, shocking, and throw the organization into turmoil. Organizational traumatization may also result from repeated damaging actions or the deleterious effects of the nature of an organization's work. Unaddressed organizational trauma - whether sudden or cumulative - causes serious harm and can be catastrophic for organizations. It negatively impacts service delivery, compromises work with clients, and weakens the organization's ability to respond to internal and external challenges. Over time the unhealed effects of trauma and traumatization compromise the organization's fundamental health. Organizational Trauma and Healing is written for organizational leaders, consultants, and other practitioners interested in helping organizations become stronger. It gives them concepts and tools to strengthen their organizations and to help the organizations to heal from organizational trauma. The book describes the inherent influence of organizational work on organizational patterns and culture and connects that influence to trauma and traumatization. It introduces a framework to analyze organizational realities in broad and deep ways and strategies to avoid or mitigate danger of traumatization as well as improve organizational health and sustainability. The authors offer theory and practice based on more than thirty years of work with not-for-profit and government organizations. The book covers: -Definition and detailed description of a traumatized system -Typology of different kinds and sources of trauma and traumatization -Interventions for organizations in the immediate aftermath of trauma and for those that suffer from long-term traumatization Organizational Trauma and Healing is a timely and urgently needed book. Although the authors focus on highly mission-driven nonprofit organizations, much of what they say is applicable to understanding and consulting with for profit corporations and for understanding our wider culture. There are few work places today that are untouched by organization-wide trauma. - Howard F. Stein, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center
About the Author: Over 30 years as a consultant Pat Vivian has provided organization development consultation to hundreds of nonprofit agencies, state and national coalitions, and government entities in the U.S. She has facilitated and supported organization change, organizational governance improvement, strategic planning, executive and leadership development, group conflict management, and coalition building. Many of Pat's recent consultation projects have focused on organizational trauma and healing. She has been exploring, consulting, and researching ways an organization's trauma-related work influences its culture and developing strategies for helping organizations face and recover from traumatization. Her community contributions include co-founding and co-leading the Community Consulting Partnership, which provides pro-bono team consultation to nonprofit organizations while giving individuals an opportunity to gain skills and experience in organization development. In addition she has provided leadership on numerous nonprofit and community boards of directors. Since 1982 Pat has taught graduate courses in organization development and organizational psychology at several universities and published papers related to organizational trauma. Pat holds a Masters in Psychology from Antioch University Seattle. Shana Hormann, Ph.D., is a consultant and serves as the Associate Academic Dean and Dean of Students at Antioch University Seattle. Passionate about strengthening health and resilience in organizations, communities, and families, Shana has worked more than 30 years with nonprofit agencies, government organizations, and tribal communities. She has been recognized for her work in promotion of diversity. Shana is an accomplished researcher, author, and presenter in the areas of family violence, juvenile female offenders, and organizational traumatization, including leading during organizational trauma. Since 1981 she has taught undergraduate and graduate courses in psychology, organization development, and organizational psychology at several universities and published papers related to organizational trauma. Shana has provided consultation to lawyers, judges, law enforcement officials, social service professionals, clergy and lay people, school personnel, and parents throughout the U.S. and Canada about organizational trauma, family violence, and juvenile offenders. Her CD, "Peace on Earth," contains creative visualizations for meditation and relaxation.