Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others

Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others

Author: Laura van Dernoot Lipsky with Connie Burk

Supporting children and families who have experienced trauma is deeply meaningful work, but it can also take a significant emotional toll. Trauma Stewardship provides caregivers and professionals with practical tools to recognize the effects of secondary traumatic stress, compassion fatigue, and burnout while building sustainable practices for long-term resilience. Rather than focusing only on self-care, the book introduces the concept of trauma stewardship—a lifelong commitment to caring for yourself while continuing to care effectively for others.

Through real-world examples, reflection exercises, and evidence-informed strategies, readers learn how to identify trauma exposure responses, establish healthy boundaries, remain emotionally present, and continue supporting children and families without becoming overwhelmed.

This resource is especially valuable for foster parents, kinship caregivers, adoptive families, social workers, therapists, CASA volunteers, educators, and child welfare professionals. It reinforces the importance of maintaining personal well-being so caregivers can provide consistent, trauma-informed care to children who have experienced abuse, neglect, loss, and other adverse childhood experiences.

Why We Recommend This Book

Children in foster care often need caregivers who are emotionally regulated, patient, and able to respond through a trauma-informed lens. Trauma Stewardship helps readers recognize the personal impact of trauma work while offering practical strategies to build resilience, prevent burnout, and maintain hope. It is an excellent resource for anyone committed to providing compassionate, effective care over the long term.

Book Information

• Title: Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others
• Authors: Laura van Dernoot Lipsky & Connie Burk
• Publisher: Berrett-Koehler Publishers
• Publication Date: May 18, 2009
• ISBN-10: 157675944X
• ISBN-13: 978-1576759448
• Format: Paperback, Hardcover, eBook, and Audiobook
• Pages: 288
• Recommended Audience: Foster parents, kinship caregivers, adoptive parents, social workers, therapists, counselors, educators, child welfare professionals, victim advocates, and anyone working with individuals impacted by trauma.

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