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The moment someone said, “Just write the note and get back to work,” we knew this conversation had to happen. Kara returns to help us put words to the wounds so many clinicians carry in silence, Adverse Psychological Events that hit confidence, corrode safety, and quietly push talented therapists out of the field.

We dig into six APEs Kara is tracking through an anonymous multi-state survey: client violence, client suicide, client sudden death for other reasons, subpoenas, grievances, and professional betrayal. The stories are raw and real, from tragic headlines to everyday micro-injuries that add up. We talk about why the highest-reported harm is client violence, how a predominantly female workforce experiences unique pressure under patriarchy, and what happens when leadership responds to loss with productivity demands instead of protection and care.

Rather than selling quick fixes, we focus on meaning-making and practical change. We unpack why “take two days” and a massage is not recovery, and we lay out concrete shifts leaders can make now: delay non-urgent emails, create opt-in critical incident debriefs, budget paid recovery time after APEs, and set real caseload limits. Kara shares insights from The Resilient Therapist—an upcoming book that refuses tidy endings—and explains how honest storytelling can reduce shame and build community. We also explore the likely intersections between early-life adversity and career trauma, challenging the myth that prevention alone can sanitize human work.

This is a candid, compassionate guide for clinicians, supervisors, and anyone who wants mental health care to remain humane. If you’ve ever wondered, “Is it just me?”—it isn’t. Join us to name the harm, protect the helpers, and keep compassion alive in our workplaces.

If this resonated, subscribe, share with a colleague, and leave a review. Want to contribute to the ongoing APE survey or learn more about Kara’s work? Check the links in the show notes and tell us what real support would look like for you.

Confidential grief/free download of current research findings: https://croswaitecounselingpllc.com/confidential-grief

Link to APE anonymous survey: https://forms.gle/w1ajyJZ3t3nCLj4EA

A Hero's Welcome Podcast © Maria Laquerre-Diego & Liliana Baylon