Date of Conferral
8-7-2026
Date of Award
August 2026
Degree
Doctor of Social Work (DSW)
School
Social Work
Advisor
Jonathan Scherch
Abstract
This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of licensed clinical social workers to examine how they manage, reinterpret, and integrate their childhood trauma into their professional clinical identities. Adverse childhood experiences among clinicians are often framed through a risk-based lens of burnout and impairment, leaving social work leaders without empirical models to support post-traumatic growth and workforce retention. The purpose of this study was to examine how clinicians leverage past adversity to inform contemporary practice. A basic qualitative design was used, with semistructured interviews conducted with 11 participants. Participant narratives were examined through the dual lenses of shattered assumptions theory and the strengths-based approach. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s steps for reflexive thematic analysis. Guided by Creswell and Miller’s validity lenses, trustworthiness was ensured through researcher reflexivity, participant member checking, peer debriefing, and rich, thick description. Findings suggested that participants drew on their lived adversity to strengthen the therapeutic relationship by increasing capacity for empathy, attunement, and proactive self-advocacy regarding professional boundaries. The implications for positive social change include the potential for clinical supervisors, social work educators, and organizational policymakers to implement reflective supervision models and caseload equity standards that destigmatize clinician trauma, improve workforce retention, and enhance care quality for clients navigating trauma.
Recommended Citation
Conner, Michael E., "Exploring Licensed Clinical Social Workers’ Past Trauma and Current Practice: A Strengths-Based Perspective" (2026). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 20605.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/20605
