Vicarious Trauma
Leasha Tolson
Rachael Aguilar
Stasie Henson
December 3, 2009
What is it?
Vicarious Trauma is what happens to your
neurological (or cognitive), physical,
psychological, emotional and spiritual health
when you listen to traumatic stories day
after day or respond to traumatic situations
while having to control your reaction.
In other words: As victims
unburden themselves with
tales of horrific experiences,
healers absorb some of the pain.
Who does it effect?
Vicarious Trauma effects people who can be classified
as “helpers”.
•Interpreters
•Lawyers
•Doctors
•Mental Health
Professionals
•Teachers
•Rescue Workers
•Judges
•Job Placement
Professionals
•Police Officers
•Hospice Workers
•Ect…
Symptoms of Vicarious
Trauma
Some of the side symptoms of vicarious trauma are:
•Flash backs/nightmares
•Avoidance, in which the person tries to reduce exposure to
the people or situations that might bring on his or her
intrusive symptoms
•Hyper arousal or physical symptoms such as hyper
vigilance, sleeplessness, or increased startle response.
•It is also said to be similar to post dramatic stress
syndrome.
How does it apply to
interpreting?
Overall, this influences an interpreter in many ways.
•It can cause an interpreter to step outside of his/her
boundaries.
-Due to the fact that a side effect of vicarious trauma is
empathy for the victim it is in a helpers heart to try and
comfort their client if something traumatic has happened to
them, and in many cases it just is not professional and its
also unacceptable.
Continued…
•It can cause an interpretation to come out incorrectly.
-If an interpreter were to be exposed to a certain type of
job where they experienced vicarious trauma and
happened to get another job in a similar setting they
are more apt to interpret in a more comforting way
than what is being present to them. Also, due to the
fact that all of an interpreters attention should be
focused on conveying a message there should be no
room for them to think about the victim and how they
could help them. So it ultimately causes the interpreter
to perform sloppily and not to their full potential.
Risk Factors
When you are faced with the
experience of vicarious trauma there
are many outcomes that can occur
from the situation. By being a “helper”
you are exposed to it repeatedly and
over time there is a risk of feeling
empathy for the victim, and having
unresolved emotional issues.
Getting Help
• Therapy
• Victims assistance community for
debriefing
• Critical Incident stress debriefing (CISD)
Work Cited
Internet:
• http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/publications/infores/faith_based_vict_asst
/vicarious_trauma.html#symptoms
• http://vicarioustrauma.com/
Articles:
• The Pain of Attachment-"You Have To Put a Little Wedge in There": How
Vicarious Trauma Affects Child/Teacher Attachment
Lyn Lucas. Childhood Education. Olney:Winter 2007/2008. Vol.
84, Iss. 2, p. 85-91 (7 pp.) (From ProQuest)
Interview:
• Stasie with Nivia Crest