“In times of great need, look for the helpers.” Mr. Rogers’ words have never been truer than in Season Two of TraumaTies, where we spoke with some of the preeminent helpers navigating vicarious trauma in their fields.

In the Season Two finale of TraumaTies, host and Executive Director of the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), Bridgette Stumpf, and co-host, Lindsey Silverberg, Deputy Director at NVRDC, reflect on the impactful conversations with unsung heroes in trauma support.

If we are born as ice blocks, helpers are the torches smoothing and shaping us. This season included fascinating discussions with helpers in their respective fields on the importance of empathy and caretaking. Bridgette and Lindsey got to explore the often unexpected intersection between trauma and areas such as medicine, politics, nutrition, and veterinary and mortuary sciences. Overall, Season Two has highlighted the importance of searching for meaning and purpose in each of our lives. TraumaTies looks forward to continuing these conversations in Season Three!

☑️ Bridgette Stumpf | LinkedIn

☑️ Lindsey Silverberg | LinkedIn

☑️ NVRDC | LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook

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Brought to you by Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), TraumaTies: Untangling Societal Harm & Healing After Crime is a podcast that creates space and conversations to dissect the structural and systemic knots that keep us from addressing trauma.

Rooted in a belief that survivors of crime deserve respect for their dignity in the aftermath of victimization, NVRDC seeks to empower survivors by informing them of all of the options available and working to transform existing response systems to be more inclusive of the diverse needs that survivors often have after crime.

NVRDC also provides free, holistic, and comprehensive advocacy, case management, and legal services to victims of all crime types in Washington, DC. Visit our website to learn more about how to access our trauma-informed...

“Food in and of itself can be a source of trauma or adversity. It can also be used as a response to this adversity and trauma.”

In this episode of TraumaTies, host and Executive Director of the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), Bridgette Stumpf, and co-host, Lindsey Silverberg, Deputy Director at NVRDC, speak with Kristi Mollner, a registered dietitian nutritionist and clinical trauma specialist. They explore the intricate connection between trauma and nutrition, emphasizing the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) on food choices and behaviors.

Kristi integrates trauma-informed approaches into nutrition and health services and spreads awareness in community settings. Food can be a source of trauma and a coping mechanism, both of which may lead to disordered eating patterns. Kristi sheds light on the societal complexities around diet culture to help reduce the shame and blame associated with food choices.

☑️ Kristi Mollner | LinkedIn | Website

☑️ Bridgette Stumpf | LinkedIn

☑️ Lindsey Silverberg | LinkedIn

☑️ NVRDC | LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook

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Brought to you by Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), TraumaTies: Untangling Societal Harm & Healing After Crime is a podcast that creates space and conversations to dissect the structural and systemic knots that keep us from addressing trauma.

Rooted in a belief that survivors of crime deserve respect for their dignity in the aftermath of victimization, NVRDC seeks to empower survivors by informing them of all of the options available and working to transform existing response systems to be more inclusive of the diverse needs that survivors often have after crime.

NVRDC also provides free, holistic, and comprehensive advocacy, case management, and legal services to victims of all crime types in Washington,

The funeral services industry is one of the places where unsung heroes intersect with families, sometimes in the deepest and hardest moments of their lives.

In this episode of TraumaTies, host and Executive Director of the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), Bridgette Stumpf, and co-host, Lindsey Silverberg, Deputy Director at NVRDC, are joined by Janet McGee, a licensed mortician, adjunct instructor, and advocate for furniture tip-over prevention whose 22-month-old son died tragically from a furniture tip-over incident. She is the author of the children’s book, Visiting Ted in Heaven.

Tune in to hear Janet share her deeply personal story and learn about the parent coalition she formed called Parents Against Tip-overs (PAT). Janet also provides her insights on mental health in the mortuary profession and discusses compassion fatigue and burnout.

☑️ Janet McGee | LinkedIn

☑️ Bridgette Stumpf | LinkedIn

☑️ Lindsey Silverberg | LinkedIn

☑️ NVRDC | LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook

☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube

Brought to you by Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), TraumaTies: Untangling Societal Harm & Healing After Crime is a podcast that creates space and conversations to dissect the structural and systemic knots that keep us from addressing trauma.

Rooted in a belief that survivors of crime deserve respect for their dignity in the aftermath of victimization, NVRDC seeks to empower survivors by informing them of all of the options available and working to transform existing response systems to be more inclusive of the diverse needs that survivors often have after crime.

NVRDC also provides free, holistic, and comprehensive advocacy, case management, and legal services to victims of all crime types in Washington, DC.

Journalists, especially those covering difficult topics such as war and conflict, violence, corruption, the death penalty, and other human rights issues, are exposed to vicarious trauma through their work.

In this episode of TraumaTies, host and Executive Director of the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), Bridgette Stumpf, and co-host, Lindsey Silverberg, Deputy Director at NVRDC, welcome guests, Alex Hannaford and Jeremy Young, both journalists and fellows at the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma at Columbia University.

Alex is also the writer and director of The Last 40 Miles, an award-winning animated short film about the death penalty. In 2015, he won the Media Award from the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty. Jeremy Young is a senior producer with Al Jazeera based in Washington, D.C. where he helped launch Fault Lines in 2009, the channel's award-winning strand that covers U.S. foreign policy issues. He has also produced several groundbreaking documentaries on jails, prisons, and the lives of inmates.

Tune in to hear Alex and Jeremy discuss their roles as ethical storytellers, the impact of covering trauma on journalists, and the need for journalists to be trauma-responsive when interviewing people who have been through trauma themselves. Their discussion also explores the topics of burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma, as well as building resilience, compartmentalization, and the value of human connection.

☑️ Alex Hannaford | LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram

☑️ Jeremy Young | LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram

☑️ Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma

☑️ Bridgette Stumpf | LinkedIn

☑️ Lindsey Silverberg | LinkedIn

☑️ NVRDC | LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook

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A veterinarian’s job includes more than examining animals and performing surgeries. It also includes having difficult conversations with pet owners as well as advocating for the best interests of the animal. From dealing with emergencies to domestic violence situations, the various sensitive and emotional aspects that go along with the profession can have a substantial impact on the mental health of veterinary professionals. In fact, veterinarians have an incredibly high rate and risk of suicide because of these sorts of complexities and the resulting trauma they invariably hold.

In this episode of TraumaTies, host and Executive Director of the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), Bridgette Stumpf, and co-host, Lindsey Silverberg, Deputy Director at NVRDC, shine the light on unsung heroes in the world of veterinary medicine and welcome guest, Dr. Erin Kirkpatrick, a general practice veterinarian, to the show. Originally from Rockville, Maryland, Dr. Kirkpatrick now works at and owns Berry Hill Animal Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee, where she specializes in surgery, nutrition, palliative care, and client education.

Tune in to hear Dr. Kirkpatrick discuss things such as forming relationships with pet owners, how she works through challenging conversations about end-of-life care, creating trauma-informed spaces, and providing the psychological safety of privacy for those who have to put down a beloved pet or are grieving a loss, as well as the importance of a compassionate approach, empathy, and having trusted mentors.

☑️ Dr. Erin Kirkpatrick | LinkedIn

☑️ Berry Hill Animal Hospital | Facebook | Instagram

☑️ Bridgette Stumpf | LinkedIn

☑️ Lindsey Silverberg | LinkedIn

☑️ NVRDC | LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook

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Congressional staffers may not be the first group to come to mind when thinking about unsung heroes of trauma. However, Congressional staffers work on the front lines - talking with constituents, listening to their stories, hearing about their needs, and responding to their concerns.

In this episode of TraumaTies, host Bridgette Stumpf, and co-host, Lindsey Silverberg, the Executive Director and Deputy Director, respectively, of the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), welcome guest Eduardo Lerma, as they continue to shine a spotlight on unsung heroes. A native of El Paso, Texas, Eduardo was raised along the U.S.-Mexico border. Since 2019, he has been working in his hometown as Congresswoman Veronica Escobar’s Chief of Staff. Eduardo has nearly 15 years of invaluable experience in Congress, having navigated complex national and local issues, from natural disasters to the nation’s growing gun violence epidemic.

Join us today as we explore Eduardo’s valuable insight on vicarious trauma and tune in for a conversation that unveils the extraordinary work and challenges faced by unsung heroes.

☑️ Eduardo Lerma | LinkedIn | Twitter/X |

☑️ Bridgette Stumpf | LinkedIn

☑️ Lindsey Silverberg | LinkedIn

☑️ NVRDC | LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook

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Brought to you by Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), TraumaTies: Untangling Societal Harm & Healing After Crime is a podcast that creates space and conversations to dissect the structural and systemic knots that keep us from addressing trauma.

Rooted in a belief that survivors of crime deserve respect for their dignity in the aftermath of victimization, NVRDC seeks to empower survivors by informing them of all of the options available and working to transform existing response systems to be more inclusive of the diverse needs that survivors often have after crime.

NVRDC also provides free, holistic,...

The causes and manifestations of trauma vary widely and every individual’s experience with trauma is unique. As a result, certain areas of trauma are often overlooked.

In this episode of TraumaTies, host and Executive Director of the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), Bridgette Stumpf, and co-host, Lindsey Silverberg, Deputy Director at NVRDC, kick off season two by welcoming guest, Jen Hamilton. Jen is a labor and delivery nurse, wife, mother, and social media content creator, whose unfiltered authenticity and humorous tales have attracted a vast following on TikTok, particularly with her series called Will it Swaddle?

This season spotlights the unsung heroes who navigate the hidden places of trauma in our society. Tune in to hear Jen's remarkable journey and her unique insights on vicarious trauma. Jen also talks about birth trauma and shares how she first learned about the racist beginnings of gynecological and obstetrical care, and how this has affected her interactions with her patients.

☑️ Jen Hamilton | TikTok | Instagram

☑️ Bridgette Stumpf | LinkedIn

☑️ Lindsey Silverberg | LinkedIn

☑️ NVRDC | LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook

☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube

Brought to you by Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), TraumaTies: Untangling Societal Harm & Healing After Crime is a podcast that creates space and conversations to dissect the structural and systemic knots that keep us from addressing trauma.

Rooted in a belief that survivors of crime deserve respect for their dignity in the aftermath of victimization, NVRDC seeks to empower survivors by informing them of all of the options available and working to transform existing response systems to be more inclusive of the diverse needs that survivors often have after crime.

NVRDC also provides free,...

Trauma is defined by the person, not by the event. But that doesn’t mean that victims of trauma have to suffer alone. Shining a light on a diversity of perspectives can help thread the human connection around the universal experience of trauma.

In this episode of TraumaTies, host and Executive Director of the Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), Bridgette Stumpf, and co-host, Lindsey Silverberg, Deputy Director at NVRDC, an organization providing free and holistic advocacy, case management, and legal services to DC crime victims, reflect upon the first season of their podcast and provide teasers for next season.

Tune in to hear Bridgette and Lindsey recap the inaugural episodes of the podcast where they spoke to people in different spaces about how trauma shows up, and how it impacts every aspect of a person's life. They also discuss how examining the intersection with individuals who have experienced trauma provided the inspiration for the second season of the podcast, the goal of which is to identify the unsung heroes who navigate the hidden places of trauma in our society. Finally, Bridgette and Lindsey highlight some of the exciting guests that will be on the podcast next season.

☑️ Bridgette Stumpf | LinkedIn

☑️ Lindsey Silverberg | LinkedIn

☑️ NVRDC | LinkedIn | Twitter/X | Instagram | Facebook

☑️ Subscribe Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube

Brought to you by Network for Victim Recovery of DC (NVRDC), TraumaTies: Untangling Societal Harm & Healing After Crime is a podcast that creates space and conversations to dissect the structural and systemic knots that keep us from addressing trauma.

Rooted in a belief that survivors of crime deserve respect for their dignity in the aftermath of victimization, NVRDC seeks to empower survivors by informing them of all of the options available and working to transform existing response systems to be more inclusive of the diverse needs that survivors often have after crime.

NVRDC also provides free, holistic, and comprehensive advocacy, case management, and legal services to victims of all crime types in Washington, DC.