Vicarious Trauma In A Traumatized Society Michelle Bonds-McKinnie, LCPC Metropolitan Family Services

  Define Vicarious Trauma and its impact on Social Service Professionals  Discuss Risk Factors  Describe Physical/Psychological Signs  Provide strategies to utilize while in the Field of Social Service Objectives

Her Story Facing Trauma: A Rape Victim’s Scars Listen to the story

  Most traumatic stories will stay with the social service professional. It will be used as a reference in a consultation, used as an example in a story, and/or processed in supervision. It is not often left at the families’ doorstep or the doors leaving the office. IF HE/SHE IS NOT CAREFUL, it is possible the TRAUMATIC EVENT is a cloud that follows…. Trauma

  Around 1990 Dr. Laurie Pearlman and Lisa McCann coined the term  Self-Reported symptoms noted by Dr. Pearlman:  Loss of Positive energy  Change from her usual “happy” demeanor  Reduced optimism Vicarious Trauma……… The Beginning

  Vicarious trauma is the process of change that happens because you care about other people who have been hurt, and feel committed or responsible to help them. Over time this process can lead to changes in your psychological, physical, and spiritual well-being.  Vicarious Trauma is not Burn-Out or Compassion Fatigue Cont……

Burn-out Emotional and physical exhaustion resulting exposure to environmental and internal stressors Inadequate coping and adaptive skills. exhaustion, Increasingly negative attitude toward his or her job, Low self-esteem, Personal devaluation. The term “burnout” was coined in the 1970s by the American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger. He used it to describe the consequences of severe stress and high ideals experienced by people working in “helping” professions burnoutsyndrome  Vicarious Trauma VS. Inner experience is negatively transformed Empathetic engagement with client’s traumatic material Unresolved personal trauma Flashbacks Repeatedly visualize the event 1990 Dr. Pearlman & Lisa McCann Compassion Fatigue Focus on others without practicing self-care, destructive behaviors can surface. Apathy, isolation, Bottled up emotions Carla Joinson, RN, coined the term in 1992 while researching burnout in emergency department nurses

  Review the vignette & answer the following questions:  What are the physical signs?  What are the psychological signs?  What is key in recognizing the signs? One person will report for the group. Group Exercise 15 minutes

  Inability to identify personal roadblocks  Lack of comfort with trauma and intense affect  Ineffective strategies  Not attuned to clients  Lack of resources for clients  Lack of an effective self-care regimen  Environment  Lack of support for social service professional Risk Factors

  On-going Self-Assessments  Understanding Transforming Vicarious Trauma  Making a Vicarious Action Plan  Self-Care Maintenance Plan  Supervision  Anticipate Obstacles Strategies

  The ABC’s: Important Themes  Awareness---identify and understand  Balance---personal needs/work demands  Connection---people/personal self Strategies

   traumatization/ traumatization/   Content/Articles/Compassion-Fatigue.aspx Content/Articles/Compassion-Fatigue.aspx   Resources

  Prevention of Vicarious Trauma: Are Coping Strategies Enough? Angie Gerdin.  McCann I.L and Pearlman, L.A (1990) Vicarious traumatization: A framework doe understanding the psychological effects of working with victims. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 3 (1)  Child Trauma: A Workshop for Child Welfare and Child Protection Caseworkers Resource Guide 2007  Fundamentals of Trauma Processing CME Resource 2012www.NetCE.com  Vicarious Trauma and Resilience CME Resource 2013www.NetCE.com Resources cont.