Vicarious trauma: impact, solutions & prevention
CPD: 3 points
If your agency/organisation supports people with experiences of psychological trauma, this can have an adverse effect on supporting staff and a range of other professionals.
Typical effects include: burnout, negativity, cynicism, absenteeism, high turnover of staff and a range of debilitating psychological effects. While these are normal responses to working with traumatised people, they are preventable and can be worked with to the benefit of staff, their clients, and improved organisational success.
Women’s Aid offers half a day of in-house training to agencies/organisations by request on the topic of: ‘Vicarious trauma: impact, solutions and prevention’.
What does the course cover?
• Understanding Vicarious Trauma (VT) & related conditions
• Understanding psychological trauma
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Secondary trauma, Compassion fatigue & Burnout
• The role of empathy & compassion
• Empathy work & emotional reactions to other people’s trauma
• Effects of VT
• Preventing VT and responding to symptoms
• Practicing professional boundaries
• Nurturing resilience
• Self-care, peer & organisational support
• Further resources
Who is this training suitable for?
This training is suitable for organisations and agencies that support people with experiences of psychological trauma.
This comprehensive course is available by request.
Contact training@womensaid.org.uk to enquire.
Trainer profile:
Bianca Petkova
Dr Bianca Petkova is an experienced training officer at Women’s Aid and a trained psychologist specialising in the psychology of women. Since joining Women’s Aid in 2008 she has developed and delivered many accredited and bespoke courses for practitioners in the field of domestic abuse.
