Vicarious trauma, also known as secondary trauma or compassion fatigue, is a type of trauma that can affect individuals who are regularly exposed to the traumatic experiences of others. The experience of vicarious trauma is something that should be expected, planned for, and supported by organisations who are providing frontline services to people who are seeking support for, or engaged with services for:
- Domestic and family violence
- Child protection
- Sexual assault services
- Drug and alcohol use
- First responders
- Family support services
- Youth justice and support
- Crisis response
- Foster care
- Trauma counselling
- Mental health support
There are further considerations and complexities to consider for the vicarious experience of First Nations practitioners, CALD practitioners and practitioners who identify as LGBTQIA+. It’s important that leaders support unique experience of vicarious trauma in a way that considers the whole person.
If you are a leader and have team members who may be experiencing vicarious trauma, here are some steps you can take to support them:
1. Create a Safe and Supportive Work Environment: Ensure that your workplace is a safe space where employees feel comfortable sharing their experiences and emotions without fear of judgment, shaming or retribution. One of the biggest myths around vicarious trauma is that if you experience it, you are not fit for the work. This is not necessarily true. There is power in breaking down the stigma of the vicarious experience because it is in fact a natural and expected part of walking alongside people in their most challenging and difficult times. Create a supportive environment that encourages open communication and active listening among team members.
It's important to formalise the safety of your workplace by implementing policies and procedures for managing vicarious trauma and burn out and ensuring the all team members understand what is in place to support them, and for them to also understand their own professional accountability in their own well-being.
2. Provide Access to Resources: Offer access to resources such as regular external supervision, training and development, in-services and education on vicarious trauma and meaningful self-care, access to mental health professionals, as well as robust internal support systems
including regular formal and informal check-ins, team meetings, supervision and open and transparent communication lines.
3. Promote the Necessity of Meaningful Self-Care: Encourage team members to prioritise their own self-care and well-being by taking breaks, engaging in healthy activities outside of work, and practicing mindfulness and stress-management techniques. Be clear about what your organisation expects from team members around their workload, boundaries around work hours and expectations around participation in supervision and reflective practice.
4. Foster a Culture of Vulnerability, Empathy and Understanding: It’s important to lead by example around these principles. Be real and realistic about the impact of working with trauma. It is not a matter of if, but when this work will impact us. Educate your team about the signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma and how it can impact them. Share personal accounts, destigmatise the experience and talk about the ways through it and how to reduce the impact. We are all human beings doing difficult work and empathy and understanding, as well as assertive action are crucial to managing the impact of our work.
5. Offer Training and Education: Provide training and education on vicarious trauma, reflective practice and the importance of self-awareness. This can help team members to recognise signs of distress in themselves and their colleagues and provide them with the skills and knowledge to support each other. Mandatory training around managing vicarious trauma is fast becoming a crucial part of all human services sector work with many responsible organisations making it a part of their induction process.
6. Be Flexible and Accommodating: Be flexible and accommodating with work schedules and workload, as vicarious trauma can impact a person’s ability to perform the responsibilities of their role in the short term, or sometimes for longer. Offer alternative work arrangements or time off if necessary.
Supporting your team through vicarious trauma requires a layered approach and ongoing commitment. Being proactive in your approach and proactive reduces the impact of vicarious trauma, removes the stigma of the experience, improves culture and outcomes for clients, and gives your teams a solid sense of being cared for and supported.
For more information on Vicarious Trauma Training or supervision contact Amy at Work Within at amy@workwithin.com.au.
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