Freeman Health System Case Study
An Equity-Centered Approach to Addressing Vicarious Trauma
Friday, April 10, 2026
Client Overview
Organization: Freeman Health System
Sector: Healthcare
Training: Equity-Centered Vicarious Trauma Workshop
Participants: 11 healthcare professionals
Healthcare professionals are routinely exposed to high-stress, emotionally intense environments that increase the risk of vicarious trauma and secondary traumatic stress. Freeman Health System partnered with the Community Health Commission of Missouri (CHCM) to provide staff with practical, equity-centered tools to recognize, understand, and respond to these impacts—both individually and collectively.
The Challenge
Healthcare staff often prioritize patient care over their own well-being, leaving limited space to acknowledge or address the cumulative effects of trauma exposure. Freeman Health System sought a training that would:
Increase understanding of vicarious trauma and secondary traumatic stress
Normalize conversations around stress, burnout, and emotional impact
Equip staff with realistic, actionable strategies they could apply immediately
Support a healthier, more trauma-responsive workplace culture
The Approach
Freeman Health System partnered with CHCM as part of its ongoing work through the Missouri Model for Equity-Centered, Trauma-Informed Healthcare, a comprehensive framework that supports organizations in building trauma-informed systems, practices, and cultures over time.
As part of this broader effort, CHCM facilitated an equity-centered Vicarious Trauma Workshop designed specifically for healthcare settings. This session served as one step in a larger journey, helping staff build shared language, deepen awareness, and begin applying practical strategies in their day-to-day work.
Core learning objectives included:
- Understanding vicarious trauma
- Recognizing signs and impacts of secondary traumatic stress
- Reflecting on personal and professional experiences
- Practicing and applying realistic coping and support strategies
By embedding this training within the Missouri Model, Freeman Health System is not only supporting individual staff well-being, but also advancing long-term, system-wide change.
Results & Impact
Strong satisfaction and facilitator credibility
Training rated 4.82 out of 5
Facilitator rated 4.91 out of 5
Significant knowledge gains
Participants’ knowledge of vicarious trauma and secondary traumatic stress increased by 44.4% following the workshop
Universal recommendation
100% of participants said they would recommend the training to a colleague or others within their organization
Participant Takeaways
Participants consistently highlighted the value of practical, realistic tools they could sustain over time:
“Practical strategies to assist myself and colleagues with this.”
“To take care of myself before I can take care of patients.”
“To have a personal care plan that you can actually commit to following.”
Behavior Change & Organizational Application
Following the training, participants identified concrete changes they planned to make, including:
- Creating peer support relationships to share stressors
- Setting clearer boundaries between work and home life
- Making intentional time for self-care and recovery
Participants also shared ways they could apply the training at an organizational level:
- Being more aware of colleagues’ needs and stress signals
- Encouraging open, honest conversations about trauma and well-being
- Supporting a more trauma-responsive team culture
Why It Matters
This engagement shows how trauma-informed approaches can move beyond awareness to practical, sustainable change in healthcare environments. By helping staff recognize stress and burnout as signals of how systems are functioning—not just individual challenges—Freeman Health System is building a stronger foundation for both staff well-being and performance.
Through this work, staff gained tools to support themselves and one another, while the organization continues progressing toward a more trauma-responsive culture that strengthens retention, teamwork, and quality of care over time.
Next Steps
Freeman Health System will continue advancing this work through the Missouri Model, building from increased staff awareness to sustained, system-level change.
Next steps include:
- Expanding training across teams
- Equipping managers with practical tools to support staff in real time
- Creating space for reflection and peer support
Over time, these efforts will be integrated into daily workflows and leadership practices to strengthen staff well-being, retention, and quality of care
Start Here
Support your staff. Strengthen patient care.
Start with a conversation about what this could look like in your organization.