LEXINGTON, Ky. – Over three days, more than 200 doctoral candidates in the University of Kentucky’s online Doctor of Social Work (DSW) program will present their capstone research during the 5th Annual Virtual Showcase of DSW Scholars, held April 27–29, 2026. Registration is free and opens April 20. 

Among them, Joy Alexakis explores concurrent trauma, a concept that she coined which describes what happens when helping professionals experience personal trauma while also simultaneously supporting others through trauma, and how to prepare professionals to navigate both at the same time.

For Alexakis, the work is deeply personal.

While working as a trauma therapist, Alexakis and her family experienced a significant life event that affected all aspects of their daily lives. At the same time, she continued supporting clients through their own trauma.

“I found it incredibly challenging to hold both realities,” she said. “There was no clear framework for how to navigate personal trauma while continuing to show up professionally.”

That experience, along with conversations with other professionals, revealed a common but largely unaddressed challenge across the field.

While social work has long explored burnout and secondary trauma, Alexakis’s research highlights a gap in how the profession understands and supports those experiencing both personal and professional trauma at the same time.

Her work introduces a shared language and practical strategies to help professionals better understand and respond to this experience, strengthening both their well-being and their ability to provide care.

“Concurrent trauma exists across helping professions,” Alexakis said. “The goal isn’t to eliminate it, but to better understand it and respond in ways that support both the professional and the people they serve.”

With more than 30 years in social work, Alexakis used the capstone process to translate lived experience into a framework that can guide practice, education and leadership.

Alexakis has already applied this work in real-world settings. Following the recent tragic shooting death of a Veterans Affairs social worker in Georgia, she helped coordinate a large-scale support response across 22 sites for staff navigating their own grief while continuing to care for patients.

The experience underscored the reality her research on concurrent trauma addresses—professionals navigating personal trauma while remaining present for others—and reinforced the importance of having clear strategies in place to support them.

Following graduation, Alexakis plans to expand this work through research, writing and experiential programming, including an immersive retreat in Greece focused on holistic healing and professional resilience.

At the core of her work is a message grounded in both experience and practice:

“Helping professionals are not required to be untouched by life in order to effectively serve others,” she said. “By recognizing and addressing concurrent trauma, we can strengthen both those who serve and the care they provide.”

The Virtual Showcase of DSW Scholars will feature more than 200 presentations and is open to the public, with continuing education credits available for attendees. Registration will open on April 20th. Registration information and showcase news will be shared via email. Those interested in staying informed can subscribe to the College’s email list at https://ukcosw.com/subscribe and select “DSW Showcase and News.” 

Note: The perspectives presented in this research are those of the individual scholar and do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Kentucky.