For therapists, teachers, case managers, and others in ‘helping fields,’ the act of witnessing and listening to trauma stories can take an emotional toll. It can compromise professional functioning and diminish the quality of life, adding to feelings of burn out and professional stress. Studies show that from six percent to twenty-six percent of therapists working with traumatized populations, and up to half of all child welfare workers, are at high risk for secondary traumatic stress or the related conditions of PTSD and vicarious trauma.
We turn to Barbara Rubel, founder and CEO of Griefwork Center, Inc. for more information:
Q: What is vicarious trauma?
A: Vicarious trauma is a psychological response that is associated with the disturbing experiences and traumatic events of another person, often victims or crime or abuse. The condition describes the indirect trauma or the result of identifying with a trauma survivor’s suffering.
Q: What are the symptoms of vicarious trauma?
A: Symptoms include anxiety, anger, feeling isolated, depressed, unsafe, hopelessness, numbness, irritability, emotionally numb, losing control, not trusting others, powerless, fear, worried about a loved one’s safety, more sensitive to violence, being cynical, inattention, easily distracted, intrusive imagery, overwhelming negative changes in looking at one’s world, becoming forgetful about important details, loss of appetite, fatigue, risky behavior, can’t separate personal life from professional life, addictive behaviors, not wanting to talk with others about work, becoming aggressive, trouble with workplace boundaries, headaches, heartburn, loss of hope, and loss of meaning in life.
Click here to learn more about secondary trauma and how it can be addressed.
Q: How can professionals protect themselves from the effects of vicarious trauma?
A: Awareness of the effects of this indirect trauma exposure is a basic part of protecting the health of the worker and ensuring that children/teens consistently receive the best possible care from those who are committed to helping them.
Click here to watch Barbara Rubel, talk about How to Come Out of Vicarious Trauma, Your Own Trauma, and Compassion Fatigue in a Positive Way:
Click here to access a video of Nicole Martin at Rutgers University’s Office of Continuing Professional Development as she offers background and a few tips for managing secondary trauma:
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