An Ethical Obligation for Those Self-Care: An Ethical Obligation for Those Who Care

Chapter 2 - Overview The Language of This Chapter The Cost of Caring Vicarious and Secondary Trauma Compassion Fatigue Burn Out The Ripple Effect Possible Negative Consequences of Vicarious and Secondary Trauma The Personal Impact of Secondary Trauma The Professional Impact of Secondary Trauma The Silencing Response Can’t Teach What You Don’t Know. Cant Lead Where You Wont Go. Prevention and Self-Care How Are You Doing? Check Your Batteries Building a Self-Care Plan An Ethical Obligation for Those Who Care Summary Chapter 2 - Overview

Chapter 2 – Getting Started! The Language of This Chapter The Cost of Caring Vicarious Trauma Secondary Trauma Compassion Fatigue Burn Out The Ripple Effect

Introduction: The Language of this Chapter Empathy – The intellectual identification with, or vicarious experiencing of, the feelings, thoughts, and attitudes of others. It involves deeply engaging our minds and our hearts. Compassion Satisfaction – The positive feelings we get when we realize that the compassion we put into working with others is resulting in some relief, growth, or healing.

The Language of this Chapter (cont.) Compassion Fatigue – Fatigue, emotional distress, or apathy resulting from constant demands of caring for others. The weariness that comes from caring.

The Language of this Chapter (cont.) Burnout – Physical and emotional exhaustion that may include a negative self-concept and job attitudes, a loss of concern and feeling for others. High levels of compassion fatigue may lead to burnout.

The Language of this Chapter (cont.) Vicarious Trauma: to feel through the experiences of others; an auxiliary experience of the trauma that someone else has experienced. Secondary Trauma: vicarious trauma that manifests as posttraumatic symptoms (physical and emotional) and may lead to potential burnout.

What Do Educators Have In Common With The Professions Listed Above? The Cost of Caring Counselors Firefighters Police Officers Health Care Staff What Do Educators Have In Common With The Professions Listed Above?

The Ripple Effect Traumatic events are like rocks thrown into our pond. Each rock causes a series of ripples.

Chapter 2 Possible Negative Consequences of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma The Personal Impact of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma The Professional Impact of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma The Silencing Response “Can’t Teach What You Don’t Know… Cant Lead Where You Wont Go.”

Potential Negative Consequences of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma “Self-Care, my liege, is not so vile a sin as self-neglecting.” Shakespeare, Henry V

Potential Negative Consequences of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma Take a second to think back on a challenging year… Challenging Students? Challenging School? Increasing Family Demands? Illness? Accidents? Series of Natural Events?

Personal Impact of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma Physical – Sleep disturbances, change in appetite, increased alcohol consumption, impaired immune system, low energy, fatigue, aches & pains. Emotional – Anxiety, guilt, irritability, anger, sadness, loss of empathy, emotional shutdown, hopelessness, depression. Behavioral – Impatience, irritability, routine changes, absentmindedness, accident prone, elevated startle response, moodiness, self-destructive behaviors.

of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma (cont.) Personal Impact of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma (cont.) Cognitive – Diminished concentration, loss of focus, rigidity, self-doubt, perfectionism, difficulty with decisions, hyper-vigilance. Relational (Interpersonal) – Withdrawal, mistrust, intolerance, loneliness, changes in intimacy, emotionally unavailable. World View (Spiritual) – Feel sense of unfairness, lack of support, anger at Higher Power, questioning beliefs, loss of purpose.

of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma Professional Impact of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma Job Tasks – Decrease in quality & quantity, lower motivation, increased mistakes, perfectionistic standards. Morale – Loss of interest, dissatisfaction with work, negative attitude, apathy, decrease in confidence, demoralization, feelings of incompleteness.

Professional Impact of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma (cont.) Interpersonal – Withdrawal from colleagues, poor communication, staff conflicts, impatience, blaming, cliquish behavior, decreased quality of relationships. Behavioral – Absenteeism, exhaustion, irritability, overworking, irresponsibility, tardiness, poor judgment, frequent threats to resign or quit.

The Silencing Response: One Other Sign of Vicarious/Secondary Trauma Shutting down our empathy & demanding trauma survivors keep problems to themselves. Consciously or unconsciously finding ways to silence those manifesting trauma symptoms.

Self-Care “You Can’t Teach What You Don’t Know… You Can’t Lead Where You Won’t Go.”

Chapter 2 Prevention and Self-Care How Are You Doing? Check Your Batteries Building a Self-Care Plan An Ethical Obligation for Those Who Care Summary

Prevention & Self-Care The Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL R-IV). http://www.proqol.org/ProQol_Test.html Also available in many other languages. And it’s FREE

ProQOL Scores Neither your name nor any other self-identifying information is to be written on this form. This information is being requested anonymously. All individual information is to be kept confidential. My Compassionate Satisfaction Score ________. My Compassion Fatigue/Secondary Trauma Score _________. My Burnout Score ____________.

An Ethical Obligation for Those Who Care National and Washington State standards for teacher certification: “A teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of his/her choices and actions on others”

List three activities under each category Self-Care Planning List three activities under each category Physical – The things I do to take care of my body in a healthy way. Emotional – Things I do to take care of my feelings in healthy way. Cognitive – Things I do to improve my mind and understand myself better.

Self-Care Planning (cont.) List three activities under each category Social – The things I do in relation to others and the world around me. Financial – The things I do to spend and save responsibly. Spiritual – Things I do to gain perspective on my life.

Building a Self-Care Plan Activity

Building a Self-Care Plan Please take a minute to share with the person next to you about positive changes you can make in your personal and professional life.

Chapter 2 Self-Care Summary

Chapter 2 - Summary Engage your heart and mind to provide support to students who are struggling Empathy we feel for our students can lead to vicarious and/or secondary trauma While the trauma is vicarious- the symptoms are real and can be harmful Secondary trauma can result in a desire to silence our students because we have been overwhelmed with their trauma

Chapter 2 – Summary (cont.) Teachers often feel overworked and often feel under-appreciated due to the challenging nature of the work We can begin by assessing our current quality of life by utilizing tools like the ProQOL Once we assess the six areas of Self-Care we can build a plan to take better care of ourselves Taking care of ourselves is our ethical duty not only to ourselves, but to our school and students

Chapter 2 – Activity Please choose one Reflection and one Application Question. Spend a few minutes reflection on each chosen question. Take notes for yourself - sharing is optional. Reflection Questions What did you learn (or re-learn) about the impact of working with others and the need for self-care? As a result of this chapter, what new revelations have you come to about the overall need to pay attention to your self care? What are the benefits to your students by your focus on self care? Application Questions How has this information impacted your own views regarding awareness of vicarious/secondary trauma in your work? What supports can be put into place at work or at home to encourage a greater degree of awareness and self-care? What can you do in the future to encourage others to become aware of their own need for self-care in working with students?

The Heart of Learning and Teaching: Compassion, Resiliency, and Academic Success Contact Office Superintendent of Public Instruction Phone: 360-725-6050 Email: Ron.Hertel@k12.wa.us