September 16 Minimizing Secondary Trauma​ Self-Care - FREE Pilot Training

Working in homeless response is working in service of people. It is beyond rewarding but it has its own sets of challenges too. In this training we dive into the impact of secondary trauma as individuals helping others. The role that self-awareness plays in building proactive measures help to care for yourself as we all carry history that impacts our current self. You will learn to notice triggers and create boundaries that will allow you to be present for those you are helping. Each of you deserve to be the best version of yourself for those you serve, work with, care for, and most importantly for you! This training takes place 2:30-4:30pm. Presenter Bio: Heather West is a graduate of the 2026 Training Academy. She came into this work to move through the guilt she was holding onto from experiencing homelessness with her child. She quickly realized that she had a purpose much greater than her own singular experience. Helping to create a space where individuals who have experienced housing instability and homelessness could come together to manifest change and put it into action for a Continuum of Care program was a defining moment for her. She found that her voice has power. Heather's dedication to learning everything she could about Minnesota’s homeless response system and the significant impact it has on black, indigenous, and people of color across the state was eye opening. Over the past 6 years she has been working with various organizations, providers, funders, and fellow individuals with lived experience who continue to provide her with insight that allows her the ability to bridge a gap that exists between those who operate the system and those who are in need. It’s important that we come together and share our knowledge and learn from one another. As they say, “knowledge is power,” and it’s up to us in what we do with it.