Brain Break: Vicarious Trauma

Welcome back, Brainiac! Today, I wanted to share some ideas for enhancing your self-care as we begin a new year.

As a licensed professional counselor, I often get asked how I cope with the vicarious trauma that is too often par for the course in mental health work. I don't have one particular thing, rather a web of routines that help to bolster my psychological, emotional, and spiritual resiliency. Here are some ideas for your consideration.

The American Psychological Association defines trauma as an emotional response to a terrible event- like an accident, act of violence, or natural disaster. Trauma looks, feels, and sounds different for everyone and, therefore, impacts all humans differently. There are 4 general categories of ways most folks react to trauma, they can be summarized as follows:

1. "I'm always on alert" - psychological hyperarousal

   1. Constantly looking out for danger/threats (hypervigilance)

   2. Easily startled or jumpy

   3. Difficulty focusing

   4. Sleep disruptions

   5. Low frustration tolerance

   6. Panic attacks

   7. Physical and physiological reactions to reminders of trauma (i.e., nausea, unexplained pain, etc.)

2. "I keep pushing it away" - numbing/avoidance

   1. Not feeling emotions and/or physical sensations

   2. Dissociation

   3. Refusal to talk about the trauma

   4. Easily confused

   5. Memory loss

   6. Avoiding reminders of trauma (i.e., isolation, changes in routines, etc.)

3. "I can't get away from it" - intrusion

   1. Nightmares

   2. Sudden intense emotions

   3. Acting or feeling like the trauma is occurring in the here and now (flashbacks or re-experiencing)

   4. Unable to stop thinking about the trauma

4. "I can't deal with my life anymore" - decreased functioning

   1. Changes in appetite

   2. Changes in sleep

   3. Problems at school or work

   4. Difficulty maintaining relationships

   5. Feeling unable to cope with even minor challenges or daily activities that were previously manageable or even enjoyable

   6. Feeling overwhelmed

While those in the mental health field are trained extensively on how to support others experiencing trauma and related symptoms, it is a whole different experience to try to navigate and cope with our own signs and symptoms. Vicarious trauma is a condition characterized by a gradual lessening of compassion over time. It can stem from a single instance or accumulated exposure - some refer to this as the “cost of caring”.

Being exposed to the traumatic experiences of others can have a cumulative impact on the helper, where the worker’s inner experience is transformed and hope and optimism are challenged. Clinicians, case managers, social workers, and other mental health workers experience responses that are common to survivors of repeated trauma (i.e., challenges to worldview, identity, spirituality or core beliefs, and difficulty managing emotions).

The good news is that each individual is in control of their own healing journey and, like me, can be proactive with their daily routines to help enhance their resiliency so they are best equipped to handle whatever life may throw their way.

Here are just a few of the routines I have in place that support my ability to combat burnout, depression, and other negative side effects of any trauma exposure:

1. Get regular exercise

2. Eat and drink water regularly throughout the day

3. Take breaks throughout the work day

4. Practice grounding exercises (i.e., breathing, visualization, body scan, 5-4-3-2-1, etc.)

5. Connect with the reasons why I do this work regularly

6. Find at least one thing I'm grateful for each day

7. Regularly reflect on how I have seen myself, my staff, and my clients grow in this work

8. Set personal and professional boundaries

Some additional suggestions that may be better for your specific needs or circumstances include:

1. Remember all the roles you hold, not just at work (i.e., friend, parent, child, coach, etc.); if needed, consider if your role at work is still a good fit for you

2. Learn a new skill or hobby

3. Write in a journal

4. Get involved in activism and system changes

5. Talk about vicarious trauma with your supervisor

6. Seek out your own therapy

TLDR take aways

1. Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event and impacts each of us differently.

2. Vicarious trauma is a gradual lessening of compassion over time that can stem from a single instance or accumulated exposure - some refer to this as the “cost of caring”. 

3. In order to combat the symptoms of all trauma, mental health professionals need to develop their own self-care routines that build and maintain resiliency.

Be kind to your mind, Brainiacs- even Serabellum Superstars need brain breaks.