Title: Vicarious trauma & burnout | The Lookout
Headings: Vicarious trauma & burnout
Vicarious trauma & burnout
Impacts of responding to family violence
Recognising the signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma
Recognising the signs and symptoms of burnout
How to protect yourself
Preventing burnout

Content: It does not include traumatic elements or PTSD-like symptoms. While it can be helpful to have an understanding of what these terms mean, it’s also important to know that not everybody will identify these as distinct experiences. For example, you may find that you experience a little bit of each of these at different times. What can be most helpful is to have an understanding of the impacts so that you and your workplace can be proactive in preventing or minimising these impacts. Recognising the signs and symptoms of vicarious trauma
This is not an exhaustive list but it covers some of the common signs of vicarious trauma: Invasive thoughts of client’s situation/distress
Frustration/fear/anxiety/irritability
Disturbed sleep/nightmares/racing thoughts
Problems managing personal boundaries
Taking on too great a sense of responsibility or feeling you need to overstep the boundaries of your role
Difficulty leaving work at the end of the day/noticing you can never leave on time
Loss of connection with self and others/loss of a sense of own identity
Increased time alone/a sense of needing to withdraw from others
Increased need to control events/outcomes/others
Loss of pleasure in daily activities
The effects of vicarious trauma vary from person to person. For some people, there may be a wide range of signs and symptoms, while others may experience problems in one particular area of their lives. Recognising the signs and symptoms of burnout
This is not an exhaustive list but it covers some of the common signs of burnout: Physical and emotional stress
Low job satisfaction
Feeling frustrated by or judgmental of clients
Feeling under pressure, powerless and overwhelmed
Not taking breaks, eating on the run
Unable to properly refuel and regenerate
Frequent sick days or “mental health days”
Irritability and anger
How to protect yourself
If you find yourself experiencing these symptoms, it’s important to recognise that this is not a reflection on your professional abilities but a normal response to the challenging nature of this work. Some tips for managing symptoms: