Title: What is Vicarious Trauma? - Jefferson Center - Mental Health and Substance Use Services
Headings: What is Vicarious Trauma?
What is Vicarious Trauma?
What is Trauma?
What is Vicarious Trauma?
Who Experiences Vicarious Trauma?
Common Reactions to Vicarious Trauma:
How to Address Vicarious Trauma:

Content: Vicarious Trauma is an ongoing process of change over time that results from witnessing or hearing about other people’s pain and suffering. It may feel overwhelming to hear about an intense trauma so personal reactions are delayed as you focus on the task at hand. Listening to traumatic material can also trigger memories of your own previous traumas. Vicarious trauma is similar to direct trauma. It carries many of the same symptoms and can be treated in many of the same ways. Who Experiences Vicarious Trauma? If you are regularly hearing about another person’s trauma, then you are at risk of developing vicarious trauma symptoms. This can include medical providers, law enforcement, mental health staff, social workers, and those working in the courts. How you experience vicarious trauma depends on many factors including personality, personal experience, life stressors, social support, and spiritual resources. Common Reactions to Vicarious Trauma: