Supporting researcher resilience in emotionally demanding research work: building and sustaining an international community of practice

Researching emotionally demanding topics, like gender-based violence, can have potential personal impacts, including poor mental health and vicarious trauma. Researchers need support when working on such topics. The purpose of this article is to describe how an international Community of Practice (CoP) for researchers exploring sensitive topics was established to support resilience building practices. The Researcher Resilience Community of Practice (RRCoP) was initiated by three leaders from international universities with a shared interest in researcher resilience and wellbeing. Virtual meetings, held every other month, centre on relationship building, developing resilience skills, and connecting with researchers in the field of supporting graduate student wellbeing. The RRCoP is open to anyone involved in research and provides a space for emotional debriefing, promoting a sense of belonging, understanding, and reduced isolation among members. Workshops and presentations contribute to members’ personal resources for resilience/wellbeing. Meanwhile, working groups within the RRCoP actively pursue tangible changes in the field of supporting researcher wellbeing. This article presents member reflections on personal impact of CoP engagement and recommendations for future growth. The RRCoP continues to foster researcher resilience and wellbeing in sensitive research. This peer support network serves an important role in mitigating negative impacts of research work.