Imagine what might be possible if you could serve others without sacrificing your own mental health and well-being in the process.
Working in high-stress
and trauma-exposed jobs
can be incredibly fulfilling, and also highly depleting.
The stressors experienced in these lines of work go beyond the stress, anxiety and burnout frequently talked about in the media. Occupational mental health challenges like vicarious trauma, secondary traumatic stress, moral injury and compassion fatigue are common in mission-driven work, and yet, many humanitarians simply choose to “push through” in silence because their organizations aren’t resourced to support them.
It’s time to acknowledge that success in these fields is about more than professional skills—it’s about well-being, too.
OCCUPATIONAL REALITIES
Stress
Anxiety
Depression
Vicarious Trauma
Secondary Traumatic Stress
Moral Injury
Critical Incident Stress
Compassion Fatigue
Burnout
Languishing
Move beyond burnout and trauma to embrace a more holistic view of success.
Outdated narratives and expectations that humanitarians serve others while ignoring their own health and well-being are changing. The days of celebrating perfectionism, wearing exhaustion as a badge of honor, and downplaying the impact of our work on our mental health are quickly fading.
And that, my fellow humanitarian, is a good thing.
The reality is that our organizations aren’t going to save us.
Acknowledging this fact frees us to make choices that will let us flourish as we support our own health and heal our own trauma, even during times of adversity and challenge.
We can choose to serve
without sacrificing ourselves
by working together to rewrite the long-standing narrative of service before self and shifting our collective expectations about what it means to be “of service.”
Dimple’s first book, Tell Me My Story: Challenging the Narrative of Service Before Self is here!
Get your copy today and choose a better way to serve. Order here.
“TELL ME MY STORY
is a compelling and insightful
exploration of the human spirit.
Dhabalia paints a vivid picture of the challenges and sacrifices faced by those who dedicate their lives to helping others, and courageously shares her own journey along the way. This book is a profound guide for anyone navigating the complexities of service, and shows how embracing our humanity can lead to transformative healing and change.”
- David Treleaven, PhD, author of Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Practices for Safe and Transformative Healing
Now available for purchase at the following online retailers:
Dimple Dhabalia
Author, Facilitator, Humanitarian
My mission is to put the “human” back into humanitarian work and make service sustainable across mission-driven sectors.
Hi, my name is Dimple Dhabalia, founder of RITC. My mission is to make service sustainable across mission-driven sectors by supporting those working in service of others to challenge the narrative of service before self and normalize caring for mental health in the workplace.
Using scientifically-backed tools and interventions like coaching, mindfulness practices, story-healing circles, writing programs, and workshops, I help leaders address organizational trauma and moral injury by unpacking and healing old narratives, mitigating mental health challenges and trauma in the workplace, and supporting their staff to prioritize their own well-being, so they can connect more deeply with themselves and those around them.
Testimonials
“Dimple helped the board of our Planned Parenthood affiliate in a hostile service area process the organizational and individual trauma we’ve experienced in the midst of never-ending attacks on reproductive rights and bodily autonomy. In her gentle way, Dimple helped us name our feelings of anxiety, helplessness, and rage, and introduced us to easy and effective coping mechanisms to help us approach the work with greater awareness and ease. We came away from Dimple’s workshop feeling more connected to ourselves, each other, and our mission, and better prepared for the long fight ahead.”
- Robin O’Neil,
Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast
“Dimple’s facilitation style is very grounding. Effective pacing and instruction for new and more experienced people interested in acquiring tools for stress management, emotional regulation & simply being able to navigate life more effectively. Dimple’s disarming style fosters an environment where everyone is free to stretch and grow in a manner best for them.”
– Jennifer LaForce,
US Citizenship and Immigration Services,
Department of Homeland Security
"I started coaching with Dimple as a way to think strategically about my career, by the end of our sessions I was thinking strategically about my happiness. She guided me on a path that allowed me to dream big about the future, but also set and accomplish smaller goals that had a major impact on how I live my life today."
— Erin Hottel,
US Citizenship and Immigration Services,
Department of Homeland Security
humanitarian
\hyü-ma-nə-ˈter-ē-ən
1. Anyone working to alleviate the pain and suffering of others.
2. Involved with or connected with improving people’s lives and bettering the world.
The word humanitarian often evokes images of people wearing cargo pants and safari vests working in jungles, war zones, and the villages of developing nations. And yes, the people who do that work are humanitarians. But so are teachers, activists, caregivers, healthcare professionals, first responders, public servants, government workers, members of the clergy, journalists, international aid and development corps, and so many more.
The humanitarian space in which I worked, interviewing refugees and asylum seekers, was at the crossroads of the government and humanitarian sectors. People working in any humanitarian position carry a deep sense of duty, responsibility, and commitment to the mission, and they tend to really love their work. They also armor themselves to the fullest extent possible, determined to push through at all costs.