Canadian Psychology / Psychologie canadienne, Vol 67(2), May 2026, 159-169; doi:10.1037/cap0000466
Trauma-exposed professionals (TExP) are repeatedly exposed to potentially psychologically traumatic events as a function of their work. TExP include health care workers (e.g., nurses, physicians), first responders (e.g., firefighters, paramedics, police), and other public safety personnel (e.g., border services, correctional workers, Indigenous emergency managers, public safety communicators, search and rescue), military, and Veterans. The exposures interact with other organizational, operational, environmental, and socio-geo-political stressors, resulting in TExP reporting substantially more mental health challenges, including suicidal behaviours, than the general public. The past decade has evidenced growing research and clinical efforts to better support TExP with evidence-informed and evidence-based solutions. There have also been national and federal initiatives, such as Canada’s Federal Framework on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and National Action Plan on Posttraumatic Stress Injuries, alongside provincial and local initiatives, all designed to mitigate the challenges TExP experience when serving their communities. The current article summarizes the current intersecting challenges facing TExP, recent efforts to support TExP, potential benefits from exploring positive psychology concepts, and recommendations for how psychologists can help TExP and, by extension, all Canadians. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)