Signs and symptoms of Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma... continues from notes

Somatization - How we get stress and hold it in our body - eg. headaches, muscle aches etc… Avoidance of Clients - not returning calls or taking time. Impaired ability to make decisions - not knowing where to go with person or not knowing what to wear. Silencing Response - change topic- can discourage a client- minimize client’s stress. Wishing or suggesting clients get over it and move on. We may become angry or sarcastic - use humour- fake interest or listening. Discussion: Are there any specific clients whose stories I have difficulty listening to? How do I silence my clients? What am I defending against? What do I need to be clinically effective? There are two kinds of debriefing. 1. Formal Debriefing - supervision, case conferences 2. Informal Debriefing - AD HOC conversations between colleagues, variety of setting and times. Low impact disclosures: Are you “sliming” your colleagues? Are you being slimed? Can you still be properly debriefed if you don’t give all the details? She says yes. Four Steps: 1. Increased self awareness. 2. Fair warning. Prepare to hear difficult story. 3. Consent - Is it ok that I do that with you? 4. Low Impact disclosure - start with lowest to highest. Can say she was raped with no details. Colleagues appreciate it and you don’t re-traumatize yourself. Sometimes you need to tell the whole story. Strategy # 2 - Taking stock of where you are. Pro Quo - Professional Quality of Life Scale. Use the tool every 3 to 6 months. If drastic changes can increase or decrease tool use. Can download at www.tendacademy.ca tabB - calculates it for you and it is user friendly. TAKE CARE OF ME. Wash, brush teeth, dress, make coffee, feed pets, etc…..what is your routine……. Wake up, go out - dancing, skating etc……. Wake up: go shopping etc….. travel etc…… Couples: Money and work style Strategy # 3. Early Warning System: television and radio announcements. Weather warnings, amber alerts, codes in health care, emergency or health action plans. Develop an early warning system. Job satisfaction, personal life going well, good self-care, absence of all but a few signs and symptoms. Pro Quo: High or average on compassion…..etc…… yellow: consistent. Scores not as good as last. Job satisfaction challenges. Strategies: good self care in practice. What factors are contributing to yellow zone? Make whatever changes, even small ones. Therapy/ supervision if need it. Ensure solid work/life. Early warning: Consistent prescience of signs and symptoms. Low job satisfaction, cynicism, exhaustion, experience trauma system. Red Zone: don’t minimize, get help, make changes for self care. Strategy: Get professional help. Make changes to move back. Strategy # 4. Self Care: Helpers are not good at putting self care strategies in place - we don’t follow our own advice. We feel guilty when we do self care. Develop a transitional ritual. That’s enough about compassion fatigue for now. I normally hand out a stress tip brochure for clients as well as a stress test which was given to me in undergrad. A certain degree of stress is required for optimal performance such as an exam, however, stress can lead to physical illnesses if not controlled. For myself, I have been practising self care since my first career without even realizing it. I try to maintain a balance life style which is productive in my personal life. I suggest that you think about where you are at in your own lives? How do you really feel? What changes can you make in your own life to enhance it? What is stopping you from making positive change? What do you think?