Interpersonal competence in challenging encounters: Towards a paradigm shift in human services - Creating conditions for professional development through action research and trauma-informed restorative practice

Health and social workers, in private and public work and welfare services, have daily contact with people who have trauma experiences and complex needs. Communication can be emotionally challenging, and many professionals experience too high job demands, insecurity and stress in their work. Insecurity and stress increase conflict levels and have a negative effect on the well-being of professionals, attitudes towards clients and the quality of service offered. This research project highlights that too little time is spent developing interpersonal competence and preparing employees for and reflecting on emotionally challenging human encounters, in education and practice. Strengthening interpersonal competence and actively working to understand the way we ourselves and others communicate can make us safer in the face of people, which we otherwise tend to describe as difficult. During this critical action research project, nine nursing students and 20 social workers participated in a six-day trauma-informed restorative circle process. We spent time building a safe environment, understanding conflict transformation and mediation, while challenging our own communication, practice, and the systems within which the practice takes place. As well as exploring hindrances and contributors for interpersonal learning and practice. What emerges in the research project is that when we are emotionally safe, we work better in every way, we are calm, listen more, are enabled to understand and be more compassionate with ourselves and others and thereby better equipped to face stress and trauma reactions. The findings suggested that interpersonal competence for the challenging encounters can be developed through a safe communicative space, thereby facilitating self-awareness, increased tolerance to stress, trauma-informed practice, and personal development. Furthermore, this study contributes to a dialogue between theory and practice related to promoting knowledge about how interpersonal competence and collective care can be strengthened in practice and education. This may help to reduce burnout and increase the quality of the service, for both the practitioner and clients.