Content Warning
The Night Watchman includes depictions of racial trauma, alcoholism, death of a parent, domestic and child abuse, sexual violence, and trafficking. As part of the University’s commitment to the Principles of Inclusive Teaching, we underscore the importance of creating a community of care that safeguards mental and emotional wellbeing as learners engage with thought-provoking content.
When approaching potentially sensitive content, readers are encouraged to exercise self-care. Jenny Nordman (2018), an Associate Professor of Reading and Literacy at Regis University, offered these techniques of emotional regulation:
- Anchor yourself by thinking of the last time you read something challenging yet meaningful.
- Give yourself a relaxation break with deep breathing or stretching.
- Skip pages when needed and measure progress by number of words, paragraphs, or pages.
- Periodically check in by identifying specific feelings and noticing any changes over time.
In the spirit of cultivating a relationship rich environment, we have identified relevant, confidential campus resources:
Research demonstrates that content notes when contextualized within a more holistic trauma-informed approach, can be a valuable harm reduction tool for learners (Bryce, Horwood, Cantrell, and Gildersleeve, 2023)