VicariousTrauma

Do you regularly witness, support or read aboutpeoplewhoaresufferingandexperiencingtrauma?Areyouahumanitarianworker,reporterorworkingtoservepeoplewhoaresuffering?Thenthisresourcesheetisforyou.

Traumaticeventsmayproducepowerfulemotions:fear,anger,disgust,shame.Strongemotionslikethesedon’tjustdissipateintothinairbutmaybesharedandtransferredwhereverencountered.Hearingaboutorseeingsomeoneelse’spaininstinctuallymakesusthinkofhowthatpainwouldaffectus,andmayeventuallybegintoshapeourinner-experience.

Workerswhoareregularlyexposedtootherpeople’straumaareatriskofvicarioustrauma;havingsimilarfeelingstothepersonorgroupyouareworkingwith.Vicarioustraumatizationdoesn’thappenovernightbutmaybuildupovertimeduetothenatureofyourwork.Recognizingthetoxicityoftraumaanditspotentialpsychosocialimpactisthestartingpointfordefendingyourselfagainstit,aswellasthepossibilityforgrowingthroughit(vicariousresilience).

Sectorssuchas:lawenforcement,fire-fighters,victimservices,andemergencymedicalservices,havebeenstrategicaboutaddressingvicarioustraumaforyears.However,ithasbeenlessrecognizedasanoccupationalhazardforfrontlinehumanitarianworkers,communication/appealsteams,andhuman-rightsdefenders.Fortheseworkerstothrive,weneedtobeaware,prevent,andmanagevicarioustrauma.WhatincreasestheriskofVicariousTrauma?

• Pastexperiencesoftraumaandtheextenttowhichthepersonormaterialyou’reworkingwithissimilartoyourowntrauma.

• Workingand/orlivinginisolation.• Historyoforcurrentmentalillnessorsubstanceabuse.• Lackofexperienceworkingwithtraumaticmaterial/stories.• Repetitiveworkontraumamaterialwithlittlevariation.• Alackofrecognitionbyyourselforyourorganisationaroundthenatureoftraumatic

material.• Atendencytodenyoravoidpersonalemotions.

[e]info@thrive-worldwide.org[w]www.thrive-worldwide.org[t]@Thrive_WW

Tipsforindividualsworkingwithdifficultmaterialandstories

• Eatnutritiousmealsanddrinkenoughwater.Ifyoudon’tlikecookinganicemealforyourself,askotherstocomeoverandshareamealwithyou.

• Connectwithpeople-anddon’talwaystalkaboutwork.Manystudiesshowthatpositiverelationshipsarethe#1protectivefactorforoverallhealthandwellbeing.

• Rest.Restingisn’tonlytakingabreakfromanactivity,butalsorejuvenatingforwhat’scoming.Gettingawayandregainingasenseofprideandmeaninginyourimportantworkwillkeepyoumotivatedasyoureturntowork.

• Createconstraintsforworkingwithdifficultmaterialsuchas:limitingdurationofexposure,reducingscreensizeandvolume,workingwithapartnerorteam,labellingfilesandknowingwhatyouaregoingtoview.

• Exercise.Physicalexerciseincreasesgoodmoodandcanhaveasmuchimpactasmedicationwhenitcomestodepression.Moreover,physicalexerciseincreasesenergy,goodhealth,andanabilitytoresistnegativestress.

• Feelandacknowledgethedifficultemotionwhenit’stimetofeelit,andletitgowhenit’stimetoletitgo.Allowsyoutomaintainyoursenseofhumanconnectionandprotectsyoufromover-thinkingandaccumulatingdangerouslevelsoftrauma.

• Avoidunnecessaryexposuretotraumamaterialsoutsideofworkhorrorfilms,news/media,challengingconversations.

Author:BenPorterLastupdated:August2018