VICARIOUS TRAUMA

The negative changes that happen

to a person over time as they
witness other peoples suffering and
need.

A PROCESS OF CHANGE

It unfolds over time.

Cumulative.
On-going.
Your experiences are influenced by
your life experiences.
Remember: Vicarious trauma
happens BECAUSE you care about
people.

I FEEL COMMITED TO
HELP
Your presence convey a message:
There is hope
Commitment is a good quality.
Too much of a good thing.
Commitment expectations
disappointment burdened
compassion fatigue burnout.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Difficulty managing your emotions.
Difficulty accepting or feeling okay
about yourself.
Difficulty making good decisions.
Problems managing the boundaries
between yourself and others.
Loss of meaning and hope.
Difficulty feeling connected.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS cont.

Problems in relationships.
Compassion fatigue I dont want to
hear it
Changes in spirituality.
Cynicism.
Despair, hopelessness and loss of
idealism.
Guilt regarding your own survival.
Anger, disgust, fear.

AFFECTS ON
FRIENDS/FAMILY
Ask yourself:
What have I noticed about the way I
behave when Im under pressure?
In what ways did my work impact me
during the last week/month/year?
From your point of view, how does
this most impact you/other people
whom you care about?

AFFECTS AT WORK
Make decisions without adequate
reflection.
Make mistakes.
Take on too much work, thus cant
fulfil commitments.
Take excessive unplanned time off.
Blame others instead of seeking
understanding.
Infect colleagues with their cynicism.

COPING WITH VICARIOUS TRAUMA

Coping mans learning to live with this process so
that you can do your job.
Accepting some vicarious trauma as part of the
work and learning to manage it effectively.
Escape (movie), Rest and Play.
Remind yourself of the importance and value of
what you are doing.
Stay connected with family, friends and
colleagues.
Pay attention to the little things that brings you
joy.

COPING cont.
Take time to reflect.
Identify and challenge your own
cynical beliefs.
Intentionally make choices when you
can.
Write about your experiences.
Find ways to retain or regain
perspective during the day.

REMEMBER THE ABC

AWARENESS
The earlier you notice that something is getting
to you, the easier it is to prevent bigger
problems.

BALANCE
Complete this sentence 5 times, in 5 different
ways: I sometimes find it difficult to balance
. with .

CONNECTING
Maintain meaningful and nurturing relationships.