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DSW Showcase Student Presentation

Shenise Simpson

LCSW, DSW Candidate

Trauma Informed Leadership Practices for Wounded Healers

Concentration -

  • Tuesday, April 29, 2025 -
  • 10:30 am
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Abstract

Social workers often enter the helping profession to assist clients after enduring their own past trauma. While the desire to help others is commendable, these lived experiences can both benefit and harm the client’s well-being. There are instances when social workers may find themselves practicing while wounded, negatively impacted by past trauma triggered during their current practice. This underscores the increased need for social workers in leadership positions to be cognizant of the issues affecting their employees, be skilled, and provide impactful leadership practices. Trauma-informed leadership, employing the six fundamental principles of trauma-informed care, can offer the necessary support to alleviate stress and anxiety that can pose a challenge for wounded healers and their leaders. It is vital to educate and equip social work leaders with the tools to assist their employees who are practicing while wounded. This empowerment of social work leaders is crucial in ensuring employees’ well-being and their practice’s effectiveness. This presentation aims to provide a fresh approach to leadership by integrating relationship-based leadership skills that empower staff facing challenging situations, using humanistic theoretical and trauma-informed leadership approaches within social work practice.

Biography

Shenise Simpson, a Doctorate of Social Work (DSW) candidate at the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, is committed to significantly contributing to the field. With a Master of Science in Social Work (MSSW) from the University of Louisville Kent School of Social Work and undergraduate studies in Psychology at Morehead State University, she is well-prepared to enhance her leadership skills with her DSW. Her extensive qualifications, which include a wealth of academic knowledge and practical experience, instill confidence in her expertise and capabilities.
As a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), Ms. Simpson is a leader in social work. Her current roles as a Department of Veterans Affairs Mental Health Section Chief and the Mental Health Social Work Discipline Lead are a testament to her leadership and years of practice in mental health, substance use disorders, and homeless programming. Her commitment to enhancing the skills of clinicians in the field through clinical supervision, mentorship, and leadership development is not just a duty but a passion that inspires others.
Ms. Simpson's unwavering dedication to developing compassionate and trauma-informed organizational leaders is a cornerstone of her work. She employs these practices to guarantee the utmost employee wellness and performance, a factor that significantly shapes her work in the field. Ms. Simpson's ultimate goal is to pave the way for future leaders, a mission she is well-equipped to achieve.