When Trauma Hits the Workplace: What People Really Need

Last week, I received a call from Irish Rail.
They were exploring support for their employee wellbeing strategy, but this wasn’t a standard enquiry.

I was told that seven people had died by suicide in one month, members of the public who had jumped in front of trains.

As you can imagine, the impact on the train drivers was profound.
Trauma. PTSD. Emotional devastation.

This post isn’t here to shock you — it’s here to tell the truth. Because situations like this are happening across industries. And most organisations still don’t know how to help the people at the centre of it all.

Trauma Is More Common Than You Think — and Often Unseen

I think about the extraordinary people in this world, the nurses, call handlers, transport staff, retail leaders, first responders, managers, showing up to do their jobs with quiet courage, all while carrying the weight of what they've witnessed.

When I worked as an HR Business Partner for Brighton and Sussex University Hospital, I saw this firsthand. Staff were working under immense pressure, often exposed to trauma, grief, and emergencies.

And yet, every month I’d sit in front of the strategy board being asked:

“What’s being done to reduce absence?”

I remember thinking we were doing everything we could. But I also remember feeling:
There has to be a better way.

What Is PTSD — and Why Does It Go Unrecognised?

When we experience trauma, the brain activates the fight, freeze or flight response. It floods the body with stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, preparing us to flee, fight or freeze.

This response is life-saving in the short term. But if it doesn’t switch off, it can lead to persistent symptoms such as:

• Nightmares

• Flashbacks

• Anxiety and panic attacks

• Chronic insomnia

• Emotional detachment or numbness

Many people don’t realise what they’re experiencing is PTSD.
Take Laura, for example.

A Story of Realisation and Relief

Laura came to one of our sessions after years of struggling with anxiety.
Within minutes of talking with her, I could see the signs of undiagnosed PTSD.

She had no idea.
Neither did her GP.

When I helped her understand the science, that her symptoms were the natural result of a traumatised nervous system, she suddenly realised why she felt the way she did, and for the first time in years, felt a sense of hope.

Because when people understand trauma, shame is replaced by understanding, compassion, and a path forward.

Why Talking Therapies Can Re-Traumatise

Many organisations provide Employee Assistance Programmes (EAPs) with access to counselling or CBT.

But here’s what most don’t realise: Talking about trauma doesn’t always help.
It can make things worse.

When someone is asked to recount a traumatic experience, the mind doesn’t always know the difference between memory and reality.
The body re lives it.

This is why we believe trauma support should be:

• Gentle

• Non-verbal

• Subconscious-first

• And led by practitioners who understand how trauma lives in the body

What’s the Best Way to Treat Trauma?

We developed Treating Trauma the Easy Way to offer employees fast, non-invasive, transformative help.

A fully remote, neuroscience-backed healing programme that helps employees:

• Release trauma without talking or rehashing the past

• Regulate their nervous systems in real time

• Experience significant shifts in the way they feel, often in the first session

Employees have described it as a lifeline—a quiet, powerful way to feel calm, safe, and emotionally free again.

Our approach works with the subconscious mind and the body, safely releasing stored trauma without needing to relive the event.

Mini Trauma Informed Case Study: Sofology

During COVID, we ran mental health training for over 200 managers at Sofology.
Throughout the training, we identified five instances of PTSD among the attending managers.

These individuals hadn't known they had PTSD but did recognise they were struggling with their mental health. During the mental health training, we cover the topic of trauma and help managers understand the cause and effect on workplace performance.

Several of the managers mentioned incidents, some of which had taken place at work, which were still very 'real' to them.

We reached out to these managers and offered to work with them. We could see that they were struggling and needed help, so we offered this help as a gesture of goodwill.

In each of these sessions, we used the approach used in Treating Trauma The Easy Way.

After only one session, every manager experienced a significant transformation. The individuals were able to reflect on the event without being overwhelmed by negative emotions. Furthermore, emotions tied to guilt, blame, and shame were effectively released, leading to a noticeable shift in their mental and emotional well-being.

🌟 Thank you very much for taking the time to meet with me yesterday. I found the session very moving. I am feeling good today, still processing the session but I do feel like a weight has been lifted, I know that sounds cliche but I do generally feel lighter. – Manager, Sofology

🌟 I really want to thank you, because I’ve had a really rough couple of days and normally I would have been all over the show with how I’m feeling and what’s going on and I would have deffo have had multiple panic attacks… but I haven’t. It’s like I reached the point of where I would have a panic attack but it just doesn’t happen – it feels a relief. Thank you so much! Manager, Sofology

The Hidden Cost of Not Addressing Trauma

Unaddressed trauma in the workplace leads to:

• Long-term absenteeism

• Decreased performance and presenteeism

• Managerial burnout

• Lost talent

• And a culture of silent suffering

Even worse?
Many HR leaders don’t realise trauma is present at all.
They see the anxiety, the conflict, the disengagement — but not the root cause.

What If Your Wellbeing Strategy Is Missing This?

Too many organisations are still relying on surface-level solutions.
Shiny apps. Generic EAPs. Tick-box policies.

But trauma isn’t solved by a meditation video.

If your wellbeing strategy doesn’t account for trauma, you’re not just missing the mark.
You may be unintentionally doing harm.

Now Is the Time to Rethink Trauma Support

As organisations invest in AI, systems, and new tech, isn’t it time to evolve how we support our people?

Employees deserve more than good intentions.
They deserve real support.
And your organisation deserves a strategy that works.

If you want to know how to do this in a way that’s safe, fast, and commercially sound…

👉 Explore Treating Trauma the Easy Way

Because trauma doesn’t need to take years to heal.
It just needs the right approach.