We all know being a therapist ain’t easy. Mental health professionals rack up hundreds of hours hearing about clients’ difficulties. Many repeatedly hear about some of the worst days of clients’ lives. This can take a toll at different points in one’s career. So how do these experiences affect therapists? And are there ways of coping with compassion fatigue, burnout, and vicarious trauma?
Research shows that the most common tolls on therapist is general emotional exhaustion. However, many therapists also experience compassion fatigue over time. Think Jason Segel’s character in “Shrinking” (our second shoutout to this great show). But don’t stop there, compassion fatigue also affects a range of mental health professionals (e.g., psychiatric nurses, psychiatrists, and more).
At least for therapists, research finds compassion fatigue is partially due to levels of trauma experienced by the therapist themselves and lower relative levels of trait therapist empathy over time.
Some therapists experience vicarious trauma. Therapists and other staff working consistently with PTSD clients are shown to be at risk for experiencing some version of trauma symptoms themselves. This vicarious trauma itself contributes to burnout.
Interestingly, the term “vicarious trauma” was coined for and is studied in therapists and helping professionals. It does not refer to victims’ loved ones when hearing about their trauma experiences. Per DSM-5-TR, those loved ones might instead directly qualify for PTSD themselves.
So what do we do?? Luckily, there are therapist resources are there to prevent or alleviate burnout and related experiences! First, studies suggest specific strategies like mindfulness practice, intentional self-compassion, and certain positive emotion strategies are effective.
But there are also good continuing education courses on how to cope with burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma. One good training course by the Cognitive Behavior Institute helps train therapists to build better awareness of how these difficulties can creep up. The course then provides effective ways to approach these experiences.
Mental health work can definitely take an emotional toll on any professional. Luckily, we are learning more about that experience and about coping with burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma. And continuing education courses help therapists learn ways to take care of themselves so they can better take care of others.
