Trauma-Informed Behavioral Health Leadership Strategies for Enhancing Mental Wellness Among Bereavement Midwives

The mental wellness of bereavement midwives is a crucial yet often overlooked aspect of health care. This study, grounded in organizational resilience theory, explored trauma-informed behavioral health leadership strategies aimed at enhancing mental wellness among these essential providers. The primary objective was to offer actionable insights for enhancing workplace mental wellness in bereavement midwives. Purposive sampling was used to enlist three participants from a multidisciplinary bereavement team with expertise in bereavement midwifery. Key behavioral themes and leadership strategies were identified through thematic analysis of qualitative interviews, supplemented by secondary data from organizational documents and reports. The Baldrige Framework and Authentic Leadership Assessment were conducted to evaluate the participants’ leadership styles. Study findings reflect significant opportunities for meaningful change through systemic transformation. Key findings include the importance of adopting trauma-informed leadership strategies to foster a positive work culture, improve mental wellness, and build resilience among bereavement midwives. These strategies prioritize equitable care and sustainability, thereby addressing the practice problem of provider fatigue in perinatal bereavement care. The results suggest that an innovative and trauma-informed approach to leadership can significantly enhance workplace mental wellness for bereavement midwives. The social impact of this study is substantial, offering valuable insights for behavioral health organizations and researchers, thereby contributing to the broader field of organizational behavioral change.