| What Is Vicarious Trauma or Second-Hand Shock? |
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By Vicki Carpel-Miller, BSN, MS, LMFT and Ellie Izzo, PhD, LPC
Recently, researchers have begun to reach beyond burnout and explore the impact of vicarious or secondary traumatization on professionals in the fields of human service. Vicarious Trauma, or as we call it “Second-Hand Shock”, refers to the cumulative impact of distress that clients’ trauma content stories have on the professional. It is defined as indirect exposure to trauma through a client’s firsthand account or narrative of a traumatic event. This experience may result in a set of symptoms and reactions for the professional that parallel Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Research demonstrates that Vicarious Trauma has the potential to exact a huge emotional toll on the professional. It may cause disruptions in the cognitive schema of one’s identity, memory, and belief system. It may also result in intrusive imagery and somatization. It may evoke feelings of incompetence, cynicism, and isolation. Those in the human service fields, those we call “helping professionals” may be at risk for mitigated judgment such as successful boundary negotiation as a result of Vicarious Trauma. They may also suffer compromised needs, including safety, trust, esteem, intimacy, and self-control. Ultimately, vicarious traumatization of helping professionals can be described as damage to their sense of professionalism. If they are to maintain ethical pace with the human service needs of those they serve that are living in an increasingly dangerous world, then they also need recognition and protection of their own precious psychological well-being. It is troubling that most ethical codes do not address the welfare of the professional in regard to Vicarious Trauma and it is potentially dangerous to both professional and clients to continue to revere the image of the dedicated, self-sacrificing workers who never give much attention to their own needs. This view can only perpetuate secondary trauma. The welfare of the helping professional for his/her own sake is increasing in ethical importance. Professionals often receive blame for stress responses, rather than acknowledge the same stress response as a natural one and an opportunity for exploration and dialogue. Professional organizations need to support their members in the battle against Vicarious Trauma. The inclusion of the welfare of the professional is an integral aspect of ethical standards. |
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