OVERCOMING TRAUMA BY ALAN STRONG WRAPAROUND COORDINATOR KALAMAZOO AND MICHAEL BALLARD OWNER/THERAPIST OF TRANSITION WELLNESS CENTER THREE RIVERS

SECONDARY TRAUMA Secondary trauma is the reaction to dealing with other people’s situations. Acute Stress Disorder is characterized by the development of severe anxiety, dissociative, and other symptoms that occurs within one month after exposure to an extreme traumatic stressor (e.g., witnessing a death or serious accident). As a response to the traumatic event, the individual develops dissociative symptoms. A personal story

BURNOUT Burnout is related to the job environments in which we work, and the stresses attached to those jobs and requirements, like paperwork or poor supervision or support.

COMPASSION FATIGUE

WHEN BURNOUT AND SECONDARY TRAUMA ARE BOTH PRESENT, AN INDIVIDUAL IS SAID TO BE EXPERIENCING COMPASSION FATIGUE.

EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL REACTIONS TO A TRAUMA MAY INCLUDE Feeling hopeless about the future Feeling detached or unconcerned about others Having trouble concentrating or making decisions Feeling jumpy and getting startled easily at sudden noises Feeling on guard and constantly alert Having disturbing dreams and memories or flashbacks Having work or school problems Avoidance of people conversations activities related to the trauma.

Feeling nervous, helpless, fearful, sad Feeling shocked, numb, and not able to feel love or joy Avoiding people, places, and things related to the event Being irritable or having outbursts of anger Becoming easily upset or agitated Blaming yourself or having negative views of oneself or the world Distrust of others, getting into conflicts, being over-controlling Being withdrawn, feeling rejected, or abandoned Loss of intimacy or feeling detached

YOU MAY ALSO EXPERIENCE MORE PHYSICAL REACTIONS SUCH AS: Anger and cynicism Sleeplessness Chronic exhaustion Physical ailments

PERSONAL APPROACHES TO SUPPORTING YOURSELF Understand that your symptoms may be normal, especially right after the trauma. Keep to your usual routine. Take the time to resolve day-to-day conflicts so they do not add to your stress. Do not shy away from situations, people and places that remind you of the trauma. Find ways to relax and be kind to yourself. Turn to family, friends, and clergy person for support, and talk about your experiences and feelings with them. Participate in leisure and recreational activities. Recognize the need for trained help, and call a local mental health center.

AGENCY IDENTIFIED WAYS OF SUPPORTING WORKERS cognitive-behavioral strategies and mindfulness-based methods are emerging as best practices. In addition, caseload management, training, reflective supervision, and peer supervision or external group processing have been shown to reduce the impact of secondary traumatic stress

STRESSFUL JOBS THAT PAY BADLY STRESSFUL JOBS THAT PAY BADLY HIGH STRESS AND A MEAGER PAYCHECK ARE JUST ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE. HERE ARE 15 OF THE MOST OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID PROFESSIONS OUT THERE. BY JESSICA DICKLER Social worker Median pay: $43,200 % of workers who say their job is stressful: 72% Heather Griffith, a social worker who works with children in intensive foster care in Boston: "You're getting paid $12 an hour and kids are screaming at you, telling you that you are just in it for the money and you're just like, really?"

THE 14 MOST STRESSFUL JOBS IN AMERICA BY VIVIAN GIANG NOVEMBER 15, :48 AM 1. First Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives Stress tolerance: 94 Consequence of error: 71.5 Time pressure: 76.3 Average annual salary: $78, Mental Health Counselors Stress tolerance: 94.2 Consequence of error: 57.2 Time pressure: 70.5 Average annual salary: $115,080

National Occupational Mortality Surveillance (NOMS)

PREVALENCE OF SECONDARY TRAUMATIC STRESS AMONG SOCIAL WORKERS 97.8 % of respondents indicated that their client populations experienced trauma. 88.9% of those respondents indicated that their work with these clients addressed this trauma. 70.2% experienced at least one symptom 55% met the criteria for one of the core symptoms of PTSD 15.2 % met the criteria for PTSD Social Work: Jan 2007j;52,1 ProQuest Psychology Journals pg. 63

SOME GOOD NEWS The major industry groups with the highest prevalence of heavy alcohol use were construction, arts, entertainment and recreation, and mining, and those with the lowest were health care and social assistance and educational services. Due to our profession we are more likely to seek out support from colleagues. “80% of social workers in one study reported that the primary sources of social support for occupational problems were colleagues.” Steven Stack (2004) Suicide Among Social Workers: A research Note, Archives of Suicide Research, 8:4, , Dol: /

IMPACT ON SELF AND FAMILY

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