In part one of this discussion, Dr. Graham Taylor speaks with Dr. Jana Martin, CEO of The Trust, and Dr. Lidia Michel about vicarious trauma, its effects, and some of the warning signs that it may be harming our world view. Part of a practitioner’s work requires them to listen, to and sit with their patients, and hear to their stories of significant challenge. But there is a cost to this for therapists, a cumulative and a lasting impact on the practitioner. We encourage practitioners to talk with colleagues and put this kind of trauma into context. Ask people “how have I changed since I started this work?”, ask “how does my anger show up now?” and invite these conversations around vicarious trauma so we can carry it in the healthiest way possible. We need to have special care for ourselves and to even see our own self-care as a form of honoring the work we do.

Resources

For more information about The Trust and ways to engage yourself and empower your clients visit:

For more information about Trauma Stewardship by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky with Connie Burk visit:

For more information about Real Happiness at Work by Sharon Salzbery visit: