Race, Empathy and Trauma-Informed Practice

The research I do in this space broadly focuses on the conjoining areas of race, space, and psychological trauma. In 2013, I began working at the Children’s Trauma Assessment Center (CTAC) at Western Michigan University, serving as CTAC’s program evaluator. As part of my role, I created and implemented an evaluation framework for CTAC’s multifaceted evidence-based programming in the area of trauma-informed practice, a social work modality that emphasizes attention to the complex tapestry of psychosocial exposures which influence maladaptive and criminal behavior in youth. Additionally, as part of my role, I was responsible for carrying out semi-structured interviews with child welfare workers and court officials charged with navigating and implementing trauma-informed practice, mending family relationships, and ultimately, working to prevent future child maltreatment. I conducted this research throughout Michigan, but most of my fieldwork was in the northern rural regions of the state. Current research that I am doing in this space focuses on the impact of intergenerational trauma on behavior and knowledge production, specifically focusing on the force of racism.