Student Reflections on Shared Trauma: One Year Later

Shari Bloomberg; Carol Tosone; Valencia M Agordo; Emily Armato; Christine Belanga; Brian Casanovas; Alexandra Cosenza; Brittany Downer; Rachel Eisen; Angela Giardina; Sarina Gupta; Tracey Horst; Julie Gayer Kris; Samantha Leon; Baiyang Li; Madison Montalbano; Sara Moye; Jennifer Pifer; Jeana Piliere; Elizabeth Reagan; Dana Reszutek; Jennifer Salop; Dominique Smith; Lesley Tzintzun; Sarina Yakubova; Danielle Zinman

doi:10.1007/s10615-021-00819-7

Student Reflections on Shared Trauma: One Year Later

Clin Soc Work J. 2022;50(1):67-75. doi: 10.1007/s10615-021-00819-7. Epub 2021 Nov 13.

Authors

Shari Bloomberg¹, Carol Tosone¹, Valencia M Agordo¹, Emily Armato¹, Christine Belanga¹, Brian Casanovas¹, Alexandra Cosenza¹, Brittany Downer¹, Rachel Eisen¹, Angela Giardina¹, Sarina Gupta¹, Tracey Horst¹, Julie Gayer Kris¹, Samantha Leon¹, Baiyang Li¹, Madison Montalbano¹, Sara Moye¹, Jennifer Pifer¹, Jeana Piliere¹, Elizabeth Reagan¹, Dana Reszutek¹, Jennifer Salop¹, Dominique Smith¹, Lesley Tzintzun¹, Sarina Yakubova¹, Danielle Zinman¹

Affiliation

¹ NYU Silver School of Social Work, New York, USA.

Abstract

In March of 2021, as the world marked the first anniversary since COVID-19 altered our reality, graduate social work students in Dr. Carol Tosone's Evidence-Based Trauma class at NYU considered the challenges of learning about trauma treatment while simultaneously living through a global trauma. Students reflected on their home lives, school experiences, field placements, mental health challenges, feelings of burnout, and the added complexities of racial disparities and injustices. Students also shared their coping mechanisms and hope for the future. This paper aims to provide insight into their varied experiences while relating their struggles and demonstrating their pathways toward resiliency.

Keywords: Burnout; COVID-19 pandemic; Racial trauma; Resilience; Shared trauma; Social work education.