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S3E3: Balancing Act: Coping, healing, and the art of gallows humor

Release Date: 04/14/2025

S3E7: Narrating Joy: Unveiling a CE-CERT tool

The SRCAC Exchange

S3E7: Narrating Joy: Unveiling a CE-CERT tool Imagine if your career satisfaction and well-being depended on the narrative you create about your work. In this episode, we delve into the Components for Enhancing Career Experience and Reducing Trauma (CE-CERT) approach, focusing on the domain of conscious narrative and its crucial role in sustaining professionals in the child abuse field. Dr. Brian Miller, the developer of the CE-CERT model, and Karen Hangartner, Director of Professional Services with the National Children’s Advocacy Center, share their insights on how this concept is...

S3E6: Staying Power: A case study of exceptional CAC staff retention

The SRCAC Exchange

Why do some professionals remain committed to children's advocacy despite the many challenges? In this episode, we explore the experiences of three long-serving Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) professionals who have navigated decades in this demanding field. Kay Phillips, Jennifer Gamble, and Robert Scott Steele share their stories, offering valuable insights into what drives their long-term dedication to child advocacy. Whether you’re facing struggles yourself or simply curious about the heart behind CAC work, this episode will remind you of the powerful impact of...

S3E5: Unlocking Potential: Where and how future CAC professionals are emerging

The SRCAC Exchange

How can Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) and Chapters cultivate the next generation of talent in the field? In this episode, we explore Mississippi's pioneering state-wide initiative that unlocks new potential for future professionals. Joining me are Karla Steckler Tye, CEO of Children’s Advocacy Centers of Mississippi, and Didi Ellis, CEO and founder of Kids Hub Child Advocacy Center. Together, they share insights from their combined 25 years of experience, highlighting innovative programming and the transformative CAST program. We also hear from Addison Alexander, a CAST graduate, as...

S3E4: Bridging Bonds: The inseparable connection of CACs and MDTs

The SRCAC Exchange

Imagine doing some of the most emotionally challenging work in the world, with a team by your side, offering constant, sometimes invisible support. In this episode, we explore the vital relationship between Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) staff and their multidisciplinary team (MDT) partners—teams that don’t just work together but lean on each other in unseen ways. Joined by Lydia Crivens, Christine Woods, and Johnny Vallejo, we discuss how collaboration, shared values, and everyday acts of appreciation help sustain these teams through the most difficult cases. Discover why strong...

S3E3: Balancing Act: Coping, healing, and the art of gallows humor

The SRCAC Exchange

Episode Description: In this episode, we explore a topic often left unspoken but widely experienced—how child abuse professionals use dark humor to cope with the emotional weight of their work. Joined by neurohumorist Karyn Buxman, an expert in the therapeutic power of laughter, we discuss how humor serves as a lifeline in challenging environments. Discover the fine line between humor as a coping mechanism and when it might become harmful. Guest: Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, CSP, CPAE Neurohumorist Speaker Hall of Fame ...

S3E2: Spaces that Thrive: A director's approach to staff wellness in CACs

The SRCAC Exchange

Episode Description: What makes some professionals thrive while others struggle, even with strong leadership? In this episode, we explore the key factors that contribute to a positive and healthy workplace in the child advocacy field. Joined by Paige Piper, Executive Director of BraveBE Child Advocacy Center, and Lori Wells Brown, CEO of Lotus Children's Advocacy Center, we discuss how both organizational culture and physical environments shape well-being and resilience in CAC professionals. Discover the strategies that foster a thriving and engaged workforce. ...

S3E1: From Sacrifice to Sustainability: Transforming the culture of CACs

The SRCAC Exchange

Episode 1: From Sacrifice to Sustainability: Transforming the culture of CACs Guest: Sufna John, PhD Associate Professor, Co-Director of the Arkansas Building Effective Services for Trauma (ARBEST) program University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Episode Description: In this episode, we explore how Children’s Advocacy Centers are evolving beyond outdated professional norms that often lead to burnout and martyrdom. Dr. Sufna John, a licensed psychologist and expert in trauma-informed care, joins us to share her insights on...

S2E7: Unlocking the Secrets: A Q&A on developing forensic interviewers

The SRCAC Exchange

Season 2: Forensic Interviewer Growth Continuum Episode 1: Unlocking the Secrets: A Q&A on developing forensic interviewers Forensic interviewers play a crucial role in gathering information from victims, especially when it involves vulnerable populations like children. But what does it take to become a skilled forensic interviewer? How do we develop their expertise and ensure their techniques adhere to the highest professional standards? Forensic interviewing requires a unique blend of skills, empathy, and the ability to work with the multidisciplinary team. In this episode, we offer a...

S2E6: Building Resilience: Empowering forensic interviewers for sustainable success

The SRCAC Exchange

Season 2: Forensic Interviewer Growth Continuum Episode 6: Building Resilience: Empowering forensic interviewers for sustainable success As forensic interviewers bear witness to the harrowing narratives of children who have experienced trauma, these stories can have profound effects on the well-being of interviewers. The cumulative toll of this work can contribute to many facets of secondary traumatic stress. In this episode, we will explore the impact of this work on forensic interviewers and shed light on the crucial role supervisors play in supporting their well-being. Discover how...

S2E5: Nurturing Growth: Mentorship and supervision in forensic interviewing

The SRCAC Exchange

Season 2: Forensic Interviewer Growth Continuum Episode 5: Nurturing Growth: Mentorship and supervision in forensic interviewing In the realm of forensic interviewing, mentorship and supervision are not mere luxuries—they are indispensable pillars of growth and development. A mentor’s steady guidance and a supervisor’s watchful eye can make all the difference in developing interviewers. In this episode, we will discuss the possibilities of what mentorship and supervision can look like at your CAC. Through check-ins, constructive feedback, opportunities for self-reflection, and continuous...

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Episode Description:

In this episode, we explore a topic often left unspoken but widely experienced—how child abuse professionals use dark humor to cope with the emotional weight of their work. Joined by neurohumorist Karyn Buxman, an expert in the therapeutic power of laughter, we discuss how humor serves as a lifeline in challenging environments. Discover the fine line between humor as a coping mechanism and when it might become harmful.

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Guest:

Karyn Buxman, RN, MSN, CSP, CPAE

Neurohumorist

Speaker Hall of Fame

Show Notes:

In this episode, host Christina Rouse dives into a delicate and seldom discussed topic in the child advocacy field about how professionals use gallows humor and dark humor to cope with the emotional toll of their work. Joined by neurohumorist Karyn Buxman, this episode explores the science behind humor, how it serves as a tool for stress relief, and when it may cross the line. Karyn shares her expert insights on how humor impacts brain function, helping professionals recover from amygdala hijack moments and regain cognitive control in the face of trauma. Through a dynamic conversation, Christina and Karyn discuss how laughter can be both a lifeline and, at times, a liability when used without care in sensitive environments.

The episode also features sound bites from professionals on the frontlines of child abuse prevention, discussing their experiences with humor as a coping mechanism, and Karyn details the 7 Humor Competencies of High Performers she developed: Rapport/Bond, Context, Authenticity, Safety, Timing, Content, and Delivery. The episode encourages listeners to understand the nuances of gallows humor, while also offering practical advice on fostering healthier workplace humor that doesn’t cross ethical boundaries. Karyn provides guidance for leaders on creating supportive environments and using humor mindfully, emphasizing that while abused children are no joke, laughter can help heal the caregivers and improve the care provided to victims.

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Key Quote:

“Humor enables us to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds. When we’re dealing with trauma, pain, and stress, sometimes just getting that small moment of relief is essential.”- Karyn Buxman

Resources:

Meet Karyn Buxman [Website]

gallows humor (noun) - humor that makes fun of a life-threatening, disastrous, or terrifying situation [Definition]

7 Humor Competencies of High Performers by Karyn Buxman [Resource]

Man’s Search for A Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl [Book]

"It is well known that humor, more than anything else in the human make-up, can afford an aloofness and an ability to rise above any situation, even if only for a few seconds." From “Man’s Search for a Meaning” -Viktor E. Frankl

“Between stimulus and response, there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” -Viktor E. Frankl