Amy Nicholas is a social worker focused on the mitigation of vicarious trauma.
Drawing on lived experience as a trauma-exposed worker and clinical knowledge of mental health, Amy researches proactive approaches to managing indirect trauma exposure as a psychosocial hazard.
Observing the ripple effect of high staff turnover across trauma-exposed sectors in Central Australia motivated Amy to examine how vicarious trauma can be better managed, viewing this as integral to developing workforce capability to respond to traumatic events in the community. In 2023 Amy was awarded a Churchill Fellowship to further explore this topic.
As a social worker, Amy has worked alongside trauma survivors in roles supporting people experiencing domestic and sexual violence, individuals with mental illness, young people, First Nations communities, and veterans. She recognises the privilege of this work and continues to learn from witnessing the courage, resilience and resistance of trauma survivors.
Amy holds a Bachelor of Social Work and a Diploma of Counselling and has undertaken further training in Narrative Therapy and Community Work. She has developed vicarioustraumaprevention.com.au, an online resource to guide Australian organisations in vicarious trauma prevention.
Currently, Amy provides independent consultation and training on vicarious trauma mitigation.
Project
To explore best practices in the mitigation of vicarious trauma in trauma-exposed workforces
Amy Nicholas
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