[libribook.com] Traumatic Scar Tissue Management 1st Edition

16.06.2020 Views

Compassion Fatigue and Indirect TraumaFatigueCompassion fatigue, the cost of caring for others, refers to the profoundemotional and physical exhaustion that helping professionals and caregivers candevelop over the course of their career. The inability to refuel and regenerate canlead to a gradual erosion of all the things that keep us connected to others: ourempathy, our hope, and of course our compassion – not only for others but alsofor ourselves (Figley 1982, Mathieu 2012).The biggest contributors to compassion fatigue are where you work, yourworkload, your working conditions and the amount of high quality training youhave received in trauma-related care (Mathieu 2012).When overtaxed by the nature of our work we may begin to show symptoms thatare similar to our traumatized clients: difficulty concentrating, intrusive imagery,feeling discouraged about the world, hopelessness, exhaustion, irritability, highattrition and negative outcomes (dispiritedness, cynical outlook, boundaryviolations) (Mathieu 2012).Indirect TraumaEvery scar has a story and there is a high likelihood of massage therapistsbearing witness to a client’s story. Their stories can be horrific and therecounting of them may have lasting impact on both the client and therapist.Indirect trauma is the cumulative response to working with many traumasurvivors over time. The indicators for indirect trauma resemble those of directtrauma (e.g. intrusive imagery, SNS stimulation, anxiety and feelingoverwhelmed) and can impact the therapist’s personal and professionalrelationships (ISTSS 2015).As is the case with trauma survivors, indirect trauma will look and feel differentfor each person. Some of the characteristics that may contribute to indirect

trauma are the therapist’s personal history, usual ways of coping with challengeand distress, and current life circumstances (e.g., other stressors, lack of supportnetwork) (ISTSS 2015).

trauma are the therapist’s personal history, usual ways of coping with challenge

and distress, and current life circumstances (e.g., other stressors, lack of support

network) (ISTSS 2015).

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