Understanding and coping with traumatic stress
Humanitarian work is physically and emotionally demanding, and many humanitarian workers struggle to find a healthy balance between the demands of the work and the need to pay some attention to their own well-being. The goal of this module is to provide an overview of traumatic stress as it is related to humanitarian work, and helpful coping strategies for dealing with it.

Trauma and critical incident care
International humanitarian work is an inherently dangerous undertaking. Whether the result of natural disaster, civil conflict, or domestic crime, few humanitarian workers escape without becoming a target of violence or witnessing violence and its aftereffects. The goal of this module is to explain trauma reactions and explore how to best care for yourself and others after a traumatic event.

Coping with travel and re-entry stress
Travel is a normal part of life for many humanitarian workers, but they are not protected from finding it stressful just because they are working for a good cause. This module explores the dynamics of the transitions that humanitarian work demands and coping strategies for dealing with travel stress.

Understanding and addressing vicarious trauma
Vicarious trauma is inherent to humanitarian work. Humanitarian workers in many roles regularly hear distressing stories, and witness violence, poverty and disaster. This second-hand exposure to suffering places them at high risk of experiencing secondary stress responses. This module explains what vicarious trauma is and explores coping strategies for dealing with it.

Stress and stress management for national staff
Most humanitarian workers around the world are locally-employed national staff. National staff often say that their work rewarding, but also stressful, and sometimes even dangerous. This training module helps national staff think through the stresses and rewards facing them, and different ways they can reduce or cope with the stress that they may experience as a part of their job.

Supporting national staff
Most humanitarian workers are national staff – people who work for humanitarian organizations within their own country. National staff are essential to the continuity and success of humanitarian programs worldwide, yet national staff generally receive less attention or support than expatriate humanitarian workers.

Running stress-management workshops with cross-cultural groups
Most humanitarian workers are not offered stress-management training, yet such training can be very beneficial. Written with national staff and cross-cultural issues in mind, this module includes an outline of a stress-management workshop and a variety of useful materials to help you plan and run stress-management training.

Family Matters: Self-care for family members of humanitarian workers
Humanitarian work impacts not only the workers but also their families. Family matters! This module will help the partners and families of humanitarian workers understand some of the stress associated with humanitarian work, how those pressures can also impact their lives, and how to better care for themselves and their important relationships.