Title: Blog Therapy, Therapy, Therapy Blog, Blogging Therapy, Therapy,..
Headings: Vicarious Trauma
Vicarious Trauma
Understanding Vicarious Trauma
Symptoms of Vicarious Trauma
Vicarious Trauma and Mental Health
Self-Care Practices to Reduce Risk of Vicarious Trauma
References:
Maryanne
The GoodTherapy.org Team
MissBea
Noah

Content: Blog Therapy, Therapy, Therapy Blog, Blogging Therapy, Therapy,..
Home >
GoodTherapy Blog >
<
PsychPedia >
Vicarious Trauma
Vicarious Trauma
Vicarious trauma, also known as secondary trauma, can be described as indirect exposure to a traumatic event through first-hand account or narrative of that event. People in the helping professions—counselors and therapists, rescue workers, police officers, doctors, and lawyers—may be at risk of vicarious traumatization. Any person who has a significant relationship with a survivor of trauma may also come to experience secondary traumatization. Understanding Vicarious Trauma
Therapists and other helpers often hear stories of traumatic experiences in the course of their work. At times, hearing these stories may overwhelm them and lead them to experience, to a lesser extent, the same feelings faced by the trauma survivors in their care. Vicarious trauma typically involves a shift in the world view of the helper. The helper’s beliefs about the world may be altered and/or damaged by repeated exposure to traumatic material, for example. Compassion fatigue and burnout are related concepts that share some similarities with vicarious trauma, and a person might find themselves experiencing one or more of these states at the same time. Find a Therapist
Advanced Search
Compassion fatigue is the condition of emotional and physical fatigue that results when helpers feel compassion for those they help but do not have adequate time away from caring for others to refuel and care for themselves. It differs from vicarious trauma in that it is not typically characterized by the presence of trauma-related symptoms and does not necessarily involve a change in one’s world view.