Why I became Trauma Informed in Compliance

But my failure to see the impact that the work was having on me had a toll on my health. I was pronounced suffering from anxiety by my doctor...

Over the time between my first and second son was both I chose an interesting path. It followed an advert that came up in one of my feeds – Head of Legal and Compliance for one of the largest churches and non-government provider of community and health services in Australia.?

A strange advert to interest a Jewish girl from London who was happily involved in the heady world of financial crime. But a light bulb went off in my head as I remembered reading about the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Three weeks later I was on the phone to the Executive Director of the Uniting Church discussing the church constructs, congregations, and compliance initiatives. Another month later I was in Sydney having taken the role.?

Over the next two years I was to learn more about child sex abuse, trauma, vicarious trauma and grooming than I ever thought my career trajectory would take me.?

Compliance and management of cases had a meaning to it that I never realised before. For the first time in my career, I was experiencing human nature at its most vulnerable and risk and compliance?at its most necessary.

The words ‘shame’ and ‘survivor’ became a regular part of reports I would both read and write. Training became not just a ‘nice to have’ to help build a culture of compliance but a ‘we must have’ to educate good well-meaning congregations on the realities of paedophilia and child grooming.

But what I did not know, until I knew it all too well, was that with each case I learned about, with each training session I ran, with each congregation I advised and with each board report I wrote I was becoming that much more involved. I was starting to get too close to the cases I was learning about and I couldn’t help but emotionally bring my work home.?

Then one day, 6 months after my second son was born and I was back at work part-time, I received a phone call from my then paralegal asking for advice on a particular case. I realised that I didn’t want to advise on it, didn’t want to hear about it and didn’t have the energy to manage it. I knew that the role was over for me. I was offered a Head of Governance role instead but knew that I needed a fresh start.

At the time I thought it was due to work stress, a new baby and lack of sleep. But I now understand that I was experiencing vicarious trauma.??

Having acted for numerous stressed and overworked clients when I was an employment lawyer in the UK, I thought I would see the signs. But honestly, I didn’t realise how impacted I was until I needed to leave.?

And professionally I was ok leaving. I had achieved a huge amount in a short time and am proud of the training and initiatives I implemented.

But my failure to see the impact that the work was having on me had a toll on my health. I was pronounced suffering from anxiety by my doctor and advised to take some time off from work. And I did. Throwing myself into family life and yoga and the start of client work in a whole new sector.?

My top 5 ways to prioritise my wellbeing

I am grateful for the experience. I learned a lot. But if I could do it all again, I would do a few things differently. These are things that I now do in my own business and life:

1.?????Check in with myself regularly and take a pulse check on how I am feeling.?

2.?????Have a mentor to speak with

3.?????Take more time for myself to destress and concentrate on my wellbeing.?

4.?????Prioritise sleep.?

5.?????Be honest about my capacity, both emotionally as well as physically.?

I am now far more mindful of how I work. But it was a tough lesson to get me here.?

Making wellbeing a discussion we cannot ignore

And its why I am honoured to be involved in an initiative called Advancing Professional Wellness and facilitating an event with two amazing women:

The Future of Wellness Through the Lens of Compliance?

As your facilitator, I will guide a panel discussion and round table with:?

• Leadership Wellness Coach and Corporate Wellness Program Designer and Licensed Trauma Therapist Dr. Fanike-Kiara Olugbala Young, and??
• Anti-Corruption Expert and former compliance leader in global organizations, Reinushini Chandrasegaram

We will examine compliance professionals through the lens of a care giver and support to an organization. As such we will look at the health toll we are learning that this role is playing on them following the survey by Corporate Compliance Insights, “2022 - Compliance Officer, working conditions, stress & mental health".?

Importantly, because the Corporate Compliance survey also told us that Compliance professionals also love their roles, we will be considering what the antidote can be.??

And finally, we will have a round table discussion about what the future could look life for the compliance world if we focus on wellness for our compliance caregivers.??

How to get involved in the discussion

To be part of the discussion and the future of wellness of compliance professionals, register below.??

https://www.dhirubhai.net/events/thefutureofwellnessthroughthele6919451920910749696/about/

Whether you can attend or not, I would love to hear how you prioritise your health and wellbeing.

Have a wonderful weekend and week ahead.

Nicole

www.createtraining.com.au

www.nicolerose.co