Expert and author

Laura van Dernoot Lipsky

Laura van Dernoot Lipsky is the founder and director of The Trauma Stewardship Institute and the author of Trauma Stewardship and The Age of Overwhelm. A pioneer in the field of trauma exposure, she coined the term trauma stewardship to describe a sustainable, justice-rooted approach to caring for ourselves while caring for others.

A Life of Frontline Work and Systemic Change

For nearly 40 years, Laura has helped others navigate overwhelm, crisis, and trauma. Her early years in activism and direct service work led to a personal reckoning with the cumulative toll of witnessing suffering. That experience sparked a lifelong inquiry into how people and systems can remain engaged without losing themselves or causing harm. She has become a widely respected expert, voice, and guide at the forefront of the growing, global movement for trauma stewardship.

Rooted in Justice, Collective Care, and Sustainability

Laura founded The Trauma Stewardship Institute to foster a cross-disciplinary movement that reduces isolation and supports people navigating the weight of responsibility, systemic stress, overwhelm, and trauma—in their lives, their work, and their communities.

Throughout her entire career, Laura has been active in movements for social and environmental justice. She has taught on systemic oppression, liberation theory, and the intersectional toll of trauma across identities, professions, and geographies.

Known for being deeply knowledgeable, relatable, and refreshingly down-to-earth, Laura bridges worlds—advising everyone from grassroots organizers and government agencies to Hollywood producers and global tech companies. From dating app coders to Supreme Court judges, from climate scientists to the military, she’s called upon during society’s hardest moments to offer clarity, perspective, and a path forward.

Who we work with

Partnering with Communities, Organizations, and Institutions of All Kinds

Laura offers trauma-informed guidance and collaboration to groups across sectors—from local nonprofits to national agencies, grassroots coalitions to international movements.

Who we work with

The Book: Trauma Stewardship

Laura wrote Trauma Stewardship after being asked by colleagues for years to put her insights and knowledge down on paper. The book quickly became a word-of-mouth phenomenon—embraced by adolescents and older adults, caregivers and crisis workers, those in direct service to founders and leaders. Internationally recognized and translated into multiple languages, it remains essential reading for countless individuals and systems.

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Expanding the Conversation

Her second book, The Age of Overwhelm, was born from a growing recognition that every facet of modern life was struggling underneath the weight of overwhelm. Blending personal stories, practical tools, and cultural critique, the book offers a framework for reclaiming a way forward in a world that constantly asks too much.

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Explore The Age of Overwhelm