Double Vision Vicarious Trauma In A Traumatized Society Michelle Bonds-McKinnie, LCPC [email protected] Metropolitan Family Services
Dec 25, 2015
Double Vision
Vicarious Trauma In A Traumatized Society
Michelle Bonds-McKinnie, [email protected]
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 StoryFacing Trauma: A Rape Victim’s ScarsListen to the story www.youtube.com
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.
www.headington-institute.org/VicariousTrauma
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” professionshttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/burnoutsyndrome
Vicarious Trauma VS.
Inner experience is negatively transformedEmpathetic engagement with client’s traumatic materialUnresolved personal traumaFlashbacksRepeatedly visualize the event
1990 Dr. Pearlman & Lisa McCann
Compassion FatigueFocus on others without practicing self-care, destructive behaviors can surface. Apathy, isolation, Bottled up emotions http://www.compassionfatigue.org/
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 Exercise15 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
http://www.headington-institute.org/VicariousTrauma
Strategies
http://www.headington-institute.org/VicariousTrauma
http://traumaticstressinstitute.org/interview-with-dr-laurie-pearlman-on-vicarious-traumatization/
http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/burnout
http://nursing.advanceweb.com/ny-nj-ct-ma-me-ri-vt-nh-free-magazine/Regional-Content/Articles/Compassion-Fatigue.aspx
http://www.socialwork.buffalo.edu/students/self-care/developing-maintenance-plan.asp
http://www.canyouhearme.org/Self-Care_Assessment_Worksheet.pdf
Resources
Prevention of Vicarious Trauma: Are Coping Strategies Enough? Angie
Gerdin. http://sophia.stkate.edu/msw_papers/27
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) 131-149
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.