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Vicarious Traumatisation:
Is about the impact upon the individual
working with adult survivors of child
sexual abuse.
Over the years much of the literature on working with
survivors of child sexual abuse has focused only on one
partner (the victim) in the therapeutic relationship which
is now considered as not only misleading but also
dangerous
The Impact of this Work can leave us:
• Challenge and shatter our basic beliefs about ourselves as people.
• Affected regarding the quality and standard of our work.
• Leave us questioning our ability at times to be able to work in this field.
• Make us cynical, critical, and vulnerable and uncertain in many ways.
In 1990 Pearlmann and Saakvitne defined ‘ Vicarious Traumatisation’ as:
‘the transformation in the inner
experience
of the worker that comes
as a result of empathic
engagement with the client’s traumatic
material’.
In many ways it is about being ‘honourably wounded ‘in the service of others.
The problem occurs when this
issue is not recognised or addressed.
The Concept of Vicarious Traumatisation:
Focuses on the negative aspects
of the changes that occur within the
worker.
Caring for others in emotional pain affects us in:
• On how we view ourselves as individuals
• The quality and standard of our work
• The quality and standard of our contact with clients
• The quality and standard or our relationships
Vicarious Trauma is:
• Neither a reflection inadequacy on the part of the worker
• Nor of toxicity or badness on the part of the worker.
How Does Vicarious Trauma Occur?
• It is a process which occurs when we
become empathically engaged with our
clients.
• This is essential in the creation of the
therapeutic relationship and recovery for a
survivor of abuse, yet in making ourselves
vulnerable in this way we risk suffering from
vicarious trauma.
Empathy becomes our Asset and Liability.
We are most vulnerable to being vicariously
traumatised when we are empathically with
the emotions of the abused ‘child ego state’ of
the adult survivor.
Signs and Symptoms of V.T. the worker may experience or others notice are:
General changes
• No time or energy for oneself
• Disconnection from loved ones
• Social withdrawal
• Increased sensitivity to violence
• Cynicism
• Generalised despair and hopelessness
• Nightmares
Continued signs and symptoms of V.T:
Specific changes can be:
• Disrupted frame of reference
• Changes in identity, world view and spirituality
• Diminished sense of self
• Impaired ego resources
• Disrupted psychological needs
• Distorted thinking
• Intrusive imagery
• Dissociation
• De-personalisation
Contributing Factors can be:
The situation:
• The Nature of the work
• Nature of the clients
• Cumulative exposure to traumatic
material
• Organisational context
• Social and cultural context
Contributing Factors can be:
Relating to the individual
• Personal history
• Personality and defensive style
• Coping styles
• Current life contexts
• Training and professional history
• Supervision
• Personal therapy
How do we gain more understanding of the subject:
By noticing our coping strategies
and defence mechanisms
in times of stress.