Wounded Warriors Canada and the Atlas Institute expand training support for health care providers

OTTAWA, ON – September 4, 2024 – Wounded Warriors Canada and the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families today announced the launch of a new online training course, A practice-based approach to self-care: TExP2. This new training introduces practical self-care tools that health care providers can incorporate into their professional practices throughout their work with trauma-exposed professionals (TExPs).

A practice-based approach to self-care: TExP2 is built upon and expands on learnings from Introduction to trauma-exposed professionals: TExP1. Released in May 2022 with support and funding from the Atlas Institute, TExP1 was developed by Wounded Warriors Canada’s National Clinical Director, Dr. Tim Black, to provide culturally specific clinical approaches for supporting this unique population, which includes Canadian Armed Forces members, Veterans, first responders and health care professionals. When TExP1 was first released there was immediate national demand with more than 1,850 providers having completed the course to date. The need for expanded training offerings was made clear throughout this process and Dr. Black has teamed up with Senior WWC Clinician and program co-developer Alex Sterling to offer A practice-based approach to self-care: TExP2.

Tim Black, National Clinical Director of Wounded Warriors Canada, commented, “The unique nature of TExP clients such as the number, frequency and often highly disturbing nature of their traumatic event exposures means that clinicians who work with TExPs are at increased risk for burnout, compassion fatigue and potential traumatization themselves. Traditional approaches to self-care that focus on “end of the week, non-work-related activities” may not be sufficient to help clinicians who work with TExPs avoid the negative impacts of chronic traumatic event exposure in their work.”

Scott Maxwell, Executive Director of Wounded Warriors Canada, commented, “Working with the Atlas Institute for Veterans and Families is a great example of how partnerships serve as force multipliers for service delivery. We’re thrilled by the response we have received since the launch of Introduction to trauma-exposed professionals: TExP1, and we’re excited to deliver A practice-based approach to self-care: TExP2 for those who provide such vital support to trauma-exposed professionals.”

MaryAnn Notarianni, Deputy CEO and Executive Vice-President, Knowledge Mobilization at the Atlas Institute, commented, “We’re so pleased to build on our productive partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada with the development  of this new course which will empower health care providers who work with trauma-exposed professionals to incorporate effective approaches to self-care into their practices. Supporting their well-being ultimately supports the well-being of the Veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, first responders and their Families that they work with.”

For more information, please contact:

Lori-Anne Thibault
media-atlas@theroyal.ca