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. From 2013 to 2018, I served as program evaluator at the Children’s Trauma Assessment Center (CTAC) at Western Michigan University. 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. My research in this space also focuses on the impact of intergenerational trauma on behavior and knowledge production, specifically focusing on the force of racism.