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: Reach out to someone. This could be your manager, a trusted friend or colleague, a counsellor or another support person. You could also access your employee assistance program (EAP), if you have one. For after-hours support, the 1800RESPECT telephone and online counselling services are available 24 hours a day for professionals to discuss the personal impact of working with people who have experienced violence. Find a way to escape physically and/or mentally e.g. reading, days off, holidays. walks, seeing friends
Rest – have some time with no goals e.g. taking naps, watching clouds, lying on the beach
Play – have fun and do things that make you laugh e.g. playing with children and pets, creative activities, watching a favourite comedy
A note on self-compassion: If you are working to help people and end up being witness to stories of abuse and violence, it’s good to remember that an emotional response is also a human one. While it’s important to maintain professional composure with your clients, emotional responses related to abuse and violence are natural and even appropriate. Staying in contact with how you feel and having self-compassion will help you to be resilient and sustain your work. Preventing burnout
To help prevent the symptoms of vicarious trauma and burnout from escalating or happening in the first place: