What is really getting in the way of practitioner wellbeing?
Over the past few years, I've had the privilege of working alongside a variety of complex settings—schools, youth centres, city councils, mental health services, universities etc. Through this experience, I’ve identified recurring trends and key factors that are compromising staff wellbeing. This process has been invaluable, helping to pinpoint the root causes, shed light on preventive pathways, and ultimately move us away from the ineffective “self-care” solutions that, despite good intentions, often fall short in addressing the deeper systemic issues.
We know practitioner wellbeing isn’t just about meditation, gratitude journals, or mindfulness apps. While these can have their place, they barely scratch the surface when people are drowning in systemic challenges. When workloads are unmanageable, teams are stretched too thin, and the culture inadvertently fosters burnout, asking practitioners to "just look after themselves" can feel hollow—sometimes even insulting. The wellbeing gap lies in the disconnect between individual responsibility and systemic accountability. If people don’t feel safe, supported, or valued, no amount of self-care workshops will fill that void.
In this blog, I’ll unpack some of the key challenges and recurring themes that compromise practitioner wellbeing and share a few practical solutions we’ve been using that might help to get you started.
Trauma exposure without evidence-informed support
In my work with organisations and practitioners, one of the most consistent challenges I've observed is the emotional toll of trauma exposure. Practitioners in trauma-informed roles tend to carry the weight of their clients' or students' stories, often without the support or frameworks they need to process and manage this burden effectively. This constant exposure can take a toll, especially when it is not met with the necessary support or frameworks. Without evidence-informed, trauma-sensitive guidance, the emotional burden can quickly build up and contribute to burnout, vicarious trauma, and compassion fatigue.
Too often, the response to trauma exposure is to “push through” or to rely on well-intentioned but insufficient strategies. For instance, some teams rely on informal debriefing sessions to process trauma, but without proper facilitation, training, or structure, these can become ineffective or even harmful. Leaders may make themselves unconditionally available to their teams (I was guilty of this), thinking they are offering vital support, but without clear boundaries or evidence-informed approaches, they risk burning themselves out, leaving themselves and their teams more vulnerable. While these efforts come from a place of care, they often lack the depth, consistency, or structure required to truly mitigate the impact of trauma exposure.
These challenges highlight the need for evidence-informed, trauma-sensitive support systems. So, how can organisations better support their practitioners?
Provide regular, evidence-informed training
Equipping teams with the right knowledge and tools is crucial. This means ongoing professional development in trauma-informed practice AND trauma-informed wellbeing strategies for ourselves and our peers.
Upskill in debriefing practices and develop a shared process
Rather than leaving debriefing to chance or informal conversations, teams should be upskilled in trauma-informed debriefing practices. We’ve been supporting teams to co-design a shared process for debriefing, ensuring that every team member knows what to expect and how to engage in a healthy and productive way. This process should encourage practitioners to reflect, share their emotional experiences, identify coping strategies, and offer mutual support, all within a framework that reduces the risk of vicarious trauma.
Awareness of how the work may impact us
This means we each need to be aware of how the work may impact us and how we’re experiencing it. Engage in self-observation and take notice of how we’re feeling in moments throughout the day. This is where taking notice of our stress response becomes very helpful!
Trauma exposure is inherent in trauma-informed roles, but with the right systems and support structures in place, it doesn’t have to take a toll on staff wellbeing. By embedding evidence-informed practices into the culture, organisations can help staff navigate the emotional demands of their work in a sustainable way.
Supporting student or client behaviours
One of the most consistent challenges practitioners face is navigating the behaviours of students or clients. Whether it’s supporting high levels of distress, dysregulation, or even aggression, the emotional and physical toll can be significant.
Unfortunately, many systems, particularly schools, continue to rely on outdated behaviourist approaches that focus on "managing" behaviour rather than adopting trauma-informed, human-centred strategies. This approach often fails to address the root causes and can leave practitioners feeling unsupported and overwhelmed.
To genuinely support practitioners, we need to shift our approach.
Focus on self-awareness and self-regulation
We support practitioners in recognising their own emotional reactions in difficult moments (because this is the part within our control). When a student or client is dysregulated, it’s easy for our own stress response and nervous systems to become activated, which can affect how we respond. Building self-awareness around our own experiences, stress responses, and nervous system states is essential.
Enhance trauma-informed knowledge
Providing professional development that deepens understanding of trauma and its impact can transform how we support challenging behaviours. As practitioners, we need to know why these behaviours occur, what the underlying needs might be, and how to care for ourselves in the process.
Clear processes and expectations
Practitioners often express relief when given practical tools and clear steps for handling moments of crisis. Establishing and practising these processes helps teams feel prepared and reduces stress.
Coaching and upskilling
Regular coaching sessions, opportunities to upskill, and feedback on relationship-building strategies help practitioners build confidence and strengthen their interpersonal skills. I know that I would not have lasted in the field if it wasn’t for my coach and mentor in my early years!
When we make these shifts, we not only support practitioners but also create an environment that truly meets the needs of students and clients. The result? A more sustainable, compassionate, and effective approach to supporting behaviours.
Unsafe team culture
In trauma-informed work, everything is relational. Our ability to build strong, supportive relationships with clients is central to the healing process. But that relational dynamic starts at the top. If we don't have a safe, supportive, and cohesive team culture, it becomes incredibly difficult for practitioners to engage meaningfully with clients, let alone support their wellbeing. An unsafe team culture—marked by mismatched expectations, a lack of open communication, and insufficient time together—can quickly erode both staff wellbeing and the quality of the work being done.
When teams aren't aligned, when there’s no clear space for honest dialogue, and when practitioners feel isolated or undervalued, the foundation of trust and connection is compromised—not just within the team, but also with the students or clients they’re working with.
So, how do we shift this and build a healthier, safer team culture?
Operate by shared values
When teams operate with shared values at the core of their work, it creates a unified sense of purpose and direction. These values guide decision-making, help teams navigate challenging situations, and ensure everyone is aligned in their approach.
Prioritise time together as a team
Teams often work in silos, which creates a sense of isolation. Regular team meetings, check-ins, debriefs, or even informal catch-ups help to build relationships, strengthen trust, and reinforce a sense of collective purpose.
Involve teams in decision-making
Involving practitioners in decision-making processes—particularly those that affect their work—fosters a sense of ownership and commitment. It also allows for better-informed decisions and reinforces that their input is valued.
By fostering a culture where people feel safe to express themselves, are supported in their roles, and work together as a cohesive unit, we reduce burnout and create a more sustainable working environment. A team that feels safe and valued will ultimately be more engaged, motivated, and equipped to provide the best support to those they serve.
Poor boundaries
Boundaries are essential in any workplace, but in trauma-informed roles, they are absolutely critical—not just for personal wellbeing, but for maintaining the safety and effectiveness of the work we do.
Unfortunately, poor boundaries are often normalised in our systems and services, particularly when they are modelled by leaders. In these settings, leaders may inadvertently encourage behaviours like overworking, responding to after-hours requests, or always saying “yes” to additional responsibilities. This creates an environment where poor boundaries become the norm, and over time, they become an unspoken expectation within the team.
When leaders neglect or dismiss the importance of boundaries, it can feel as though there’s no room to say no, or that working beyond one’s limits is part of the role. This contributes to burnout, compassion fatigue, and ultimately, a breakdown in the wellbeing of staff. However, upholding boundaries is not a simple task—it’s a skill that requires conscious effort, practice, and the right organisational support.
Organisations I partner with have found success in strategies such as:
Start from the top: leaders walking the talk
Leaders play a crucial role in setting the tone for boundary-setting in the workplace. By consistently modelling healthy boundaries—such as taking time off, refusing after-hours requests, and prioritising self-care—they demonstrate that maintaining personal limits is not only acceptable but vital. Creating clear expectations around boundaries, such as no-contact hours, protected time for breaks, or clearly defined roles and responsibilities, can help reinforce this message.
Understand boundaries as a skill to be developed
Maintaining boundaries, especially with traumatised or dysregulated students or clients, is often challenging. Practitioners may feel torn between wanting to offer more support and finding ways to empower the individual. That’s why boundaries need to be treated as a skill—one that must be learned and practised over time. Providing training and engaging in reflective practice helps staff navigate these situations more effectively.
Clarify roles and expectations
Boundaries around role clarity are crucial. It’s important to communicate exactly what your role entails, including your working hours, availability, and when you will provide direct support versus referring to another service. This includes making it clear when it’s appropriate for clients or students to take responsibility for their own progress. Setting these expectations upfront with clients, students, leaders, and the community creates a shared understanding of limits, which in turn reduces stress, confusion, and burnout. Role clarity allows for more efficient, respectful working relationships and helps preserve personal wellbeing.
The collective responsibility for wellbeing
True practitioner wellbeing is a collective responsibility. It requires clear boundaries, supportive leadership, and trauma-informed practices that prioritise the emotional safety and health of everyone involved. Leaders, teams, and organisations must create environments where practitioners feel safe, supported, and valued—not just through vague promises of self-care but through tangible systems and shared practices that nurture their wellbeing.
When we acknowledge the impact of systemic challenges and offer evidence-informed support, we shift the narrative from individual blame to collective action.
At Wagtail Institute, we’ve spent the past few years working alongside organisations, practitioners, and leaders to implement trauma-informed strategies that truly make a difference. If 2025 is the year your organisation is ready to get staff wellbeing right, we’re here to help. Let’s create environments where practitioners don’t just survive—they thrive. Together, we can build workplaces that support the incredible work your teams do, while safeguarding their health and resilience.
Let’s make 2025 the year we prioritise practitioner wellbeing—for good.
