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Forbes
3 days ago
- Health
- Forbes
Workforce Reintegration: How A Trauma-Informed Approach Can Help
Maayan Aviv, CEO, American Friends of NATAL, is a nonprofit leader with 15+ years of experience, driving impact in mental health treatment. When trauma hits, it impacts all parts of an individual's life, including career progression and professional identity. It creates disruption in the way people think and behave, which sends ripple effects through the workplace in addition to their personal lives. From a career standpoint, the impacts stretch beyond the individual suffering. It affects coworkers, colleagues and others. Three years ago, our parent organization created a career development model to help individuals coping with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) either return to the workforce or find their new professional pathway. Here's why I believe workforce reintegration should be trauma-informed: The Invisible Barrier: How Trauma Can Disrupt Career Pathways In the workplace, trauma often affects cognitive function, emotional regulation and motivation. I've seen how it can undermine traditional career development methods and cause loss of occupational identity, sleep deprivation, emotional and sensory dysregulation, negative thoughts and a break in trust and sense of safety. There are other signals that someone may be going through a trauma at work. A survey of participants enrolled in NATAL's vocational coaching program found that at the outset of coaching: • 58.6% struggled with procrastination or difficulty in self-organization and time management. • 57.5% experienced concentration difficulties. • 51.5% reported low motivation. • 48.6% experienced issues related to self-worth. Interestingly, almost half of the participants in our parent organization's program held higher education degrees. This showcases how PTSD symptoms can significantly impair work performance, even in high-potential individuals. Moreover, the skills gap isn't always about skills. Nearly 55% of individuals surveyed reported earning below the national average wage for their position, indicating that they're employed in positions that underutilize their skills. Almost half believe their current or most recent job doesn't reflect their actual capabilities. In other words, trauma survivors can have strong educational or technical backgrounds, and yet, they remain unemployed or underemployed. The challenge isn't a lack of qualifications, but the internal barriers caused by trauma. Trauma can hold survivors back from where they should be. From Healing To Hiring: Supporting Workforce Reintegration To approach career development from a trauma-informed perspective, a mentor is needed to help participants find the right career or focus on what they would like to do. Why? Because as they process their trauma, sometimes the symptoms can become more disruptive or different feelings rise up as a result of looking into the future. Career development counselors can give them the hope they need to realize that there's a lot they can do despite their trauma. Trauma-informed coaching can teach the individual to be aware of their triggers, emphasize their self-worth and skill set and help individuals set realistic goals and time frames. Importantly, it isn't therapy. It's a structured approach to vocational support that accounts for emotional and psychological realities. Look for a model that is: • Short-term, goal-oriented and trauma-informed. • Based on strengths and inner resources, including the potential for post-traumatic growth and discovering new meaning and a future-oriented career vision. • An ecological approach that not only asks what the organization can do but also what additional resources and supports exist that could aid in recovery and growth. • Evidence-based, while also promoting growth and hope. • Globally focused to account for a variety of perspectives. It's also important to consider your workplace. The post-pandemic workforce looks different than it did before, offering work-from-home opportunities with independence and flexibility. While these practices benefit many professionals, they can sometimes negatively impact those who need structure, framework and guidance. In fact, a study published in Psychology Today found that a structured return to work can significantly help with trauma recovery. Measuring Impact: Metrics That Matter In the United States, research indicates that veteran employment programs can be effective. In Israel, the Ministry of Defense and the National Insurance offer rehabilitation programs, but a study indicated they're not trauma-informed and more could be done to address the impact of PTSD on work functioning. Our parent organization's trauma-informed vocational coaching program in Israel, as noted in the study, found a sizable decrease in PTSD symptoms at the end of the program and a significant decrease in major symptoms, with the highest impacts in cognition changes and mood. About 60% of participants reported improvements in employment status or advancements in career planning, and a third reported an increase in income. Business leaders can track outcomes such as job placement or advancement, improvements in self-regulation and confidence and goal completion from individualized work plans. Continued engagement, such as opting into an extended mentorship program, can serve as an additional marker of long-term success and professional reintegration. Ultimately, trauma-informed vocational counseling should be based on safety, trustworthiness, collaboration, empowerment and choice. Trauma-informed approaches can prevent individuals from experiencing new traumas that may be caused by returning to work. Without a trauma-informed approach, workforce reintegration is difficult. Forbes Business Council is the foremost growth and networking organization for business owners and leaders. Do I qualify?
Associated Press
20-05-2025
- Health
- Associated Press
American Friends of NATAL Accepts the PowerNET '25 Award on Behalf of NATAL's Trauma-Informed Career Development Program
AFN proudly accepted The Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies PowerNET 2025 Impact Award on behalf of NATAL's Trauma-Informed Career Development Program. 'It's a great honor for NATAL to have been selected for the PowerNet 2025 Award. There are so many deserving agencies and programs, so being selected is that much more meaningful.'— Maayan Aviv, CEO of American Friends of NATAL NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, May 20, 2025 / / -- American Friends of NATAL (AFN) proudly accepted The Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies PowerNET 2025 Impact Award on behalf of NATAL 's Trauma-Informed Career Development Program. The Tel Aviv-based initiative was honored for its innovative approach to helping young adults impacted by trauma rebuild their lives by navigating career and educational pathways with renewed purpose. 'It's a great honor for NATAL to have been selected for the PowerNet 2025 Award. There are so many deserving agencies and programs, so being selected is that much more meaningful,' shared CEO of American Friends of NATAL, Maayan Aviv. Transforming Trauma into Opportunity Since launching in 2021, the NATAL Trauma-Informed Career Development Program has delivered personalized career coaching tailored to individuals experiencing post-trauma stress. Participants receive intensive training in essential soft skills such as time management, communication, and conflict resolution. These are the core competencies that support long-term personal and professional success. The program has established strong strategic partnerships with government agencies, NGOs, and academic institutions to ensure holistic support for its participants. The program's results speak for themselves. It has demonstrated a 70 percent improvement in employment and education outcomes among participants, along with a 7.8 percent reduction in post-trauma symptoms. From just 70 participants in its first year, the program now supports 547 individuals as of 2024 and aims to reach 575 by the end of 2025. Recognition at NJHSA PowerNET 2025 The award was presented at the annual PowerNET Conference, hosted by the Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies (NJHSA). PowerNET is a premier gathering of over 700 leaders and professionals in Jewish human services who come together to share insights, celebrate progress, and spark innovation across the field. A Mission of Healing and Empowerment American Friends of NATAL is honored by the recognition from NJHSA and remains dedicated to advancing trauma recovery through community-based support, professional education, and long-term interventions. The organization believes that with the right tools, trauma survivors can rebuild their lives with dignity, strength, and purpose. About American Friends of NATAL American Friends of NATAL (AFN) is dedicated to supporting and strengthening NATAL's life-changing work, providing critical assistance to Israelis coping with trauma, primarily caused by terrorism and war. In the U.S., AFN builds awareness, fosters partnerships, and unites a community of supporters committed to ensuring the resilience, health, and well-being of Israel, now and for generations to come. About NATAL NATAL, the Israel Trauma and Resiliency Center, is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals and communities in Israel cope with the psychological effects of war and terror. Founded in 1998, NATAL provides a multidisciplinary approach to trauma treatment, focusing on building resilience and providing support to those affected by conflict and other traumatic events. About The Network The Network of Jewish Human Service Agencies is an international association representing over 170 nonprofit human service organizations. The Network provides leadership, resources, and advocacy to advance Jewish human services and foster innovation across its member agencies. About PowerNET PowerNET is The Network's signature event, a multi-day conference where 600-800 human service professionals, agency leaders, and partner organizations exchange ideas, share successes, and explore challenges. With keynote sessions, workshops, and networking opportunities, the event aims to empower participants with strategies to strengthen their work and communities. The goal is to enrich knowledge, foster connections, and drive impactful change across the Jewish human service sector. Nataly Blumberg NB Communications email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
