VICARIOUS TRAUMA

How To Take Care of Yourself, Your

Clients, Your Peers, and Your Program

if the Unthinkable Happens

Mary-K O’Sullivan, LMFT, LADC, LPC

The High Risk Clients We

Serve Are Affected By:

Violent Crime

Domestic Violence

Childhood Abuse

Mental Illness

Addiction

Homelessness

Self-harm

They all will ask us to participate

in their experiences

When A Client Dies

Suicide

• Were you concerned

about the client

beforehand?

• Had you considered the

need for an

intervention?

• Had you planned to do

something that you had

not done?

• Did you cancel an

appointment or not

return a phone call

prior to the suicide?

Other Unexpected

• Were there any prior

signs? (Illness)

• Was it the result of

violence? (Crime)

• Was it likely an

accident? (Overdose)

When A Client Dies

• How do I rectify my

relationship with the client

with the feelings of loss?

• How do I grieve this loss?

• How do I honor this client’s

memory?

• Where do I turn for

support?

• Are my feelings normal?

• How am I supposed to

behave?

Workplace Violence

• What Occurred?

• Who Was Impacted?

• Who Was The Perpetrator?

(Client, Colleague, Stranger)

• Did It Come From a Trusted Person?

• Was Anyone Injured or Killed?

• Duration of the Incident?

• Were You Present?

• Were Clients Present?

• What Was Your Involvement?

• Survivor Guilt?

Unresolved Grief - Defenses

If I Show My Emotions

Will People Think:

• That I was over-

involved or

inappropriately

involved with the client

• That I can’t do my job

• That I can’t be

objective

• That I have poor

boundaries

Supporting Colleagues Through

Vicarious Trauma

• Be Mindful & Kind At All

Times

• Treat Others As They Want

To Be Treated (Platinum

Rule) Don’t Assume; Ask

• Support that Your

Colleague’s Feelings Aren’t

Right or Wrong; They Just

Are; They Shouldn’t Be

Denied or Ignored; It Is

Safe to Share Them

(Be Accepting & Affirming)

SUPPORTIVE COMMUNICATION TO

ASSIST COLLEAGUES WITH VICARIOUS

TRAUMA

VALIDATING:

• I am sorry this happened

to you

• It is understandable that

you feel that way

• How Can I help?

• What can be done to

support you?

NOT VALIDATING

• I know how you feel

• I understand

• You’ll get over it

• Everything is going to be

alright

• You shouldn’t feel that

way

How Do You Practice These

In The Workplace After A

Trauma?

Taking Care Of Ourselves

• Stay Home & Care For

Yourself When Sick

• Resolve Personal Issues To

Avoid Transference &

Countertransference

• De-obligate Yourself

• Recognize Stress Signs:

Physically, Socially,

Spiritually, and Emotionally

• Make “I’m Fine” Dirty Words!

• Participate Actively In

Training To Learn To Increase

Skill Levels To Offset Time

Constraints

• Ask for support and help of

our colleagues and

supervisors

• INFUSE HUMOR INTO EVERY

DAY AND SHARE IT

Signs of Unresolved

Vicarious Trauma

• Physical Exhaustion Even After Rest

• Emotional Lability: Over or Under Reacting

• Minimizing Feelings of Stress

• Feeling Isolated or Detached

• Blaming Those We Serve

• Having Pessimism That Change Can Happen

• Feeling Helpless

• Feeling Immobilized and Cynical

• Changed Views About Families, Relationships, Legal

and Other Systems, People In General

• Numbness To What At One Time Aroused Strong

Feelings

• Distrust of co-workers, supervisors, the agency or

system in which you work

• Difficulty in relating to others who do not do similar

work to yours

• Stressors are

Recognized and

Validated

• Communication is Open,

Effective, Clear, &

Direct; No Sanctions if

Done Respectfully

• Cohesion Exists in the

Entire Work Group; Staff

Self-monitors for

Excellence

• Teamwork & Respect Is

the Focus

• No GOSSIPING: The goal

is to do the job well, not

develop a social network

• Resources are Used

Efficiently

• There is a Flexibility of

Roles Across All Staff

• Staff Feel Safe & Secure

Speaking to Supervisors

• Be Kind & Humane