A good friend of mine called Nay introduced me to the notion of Vicarious Trauma, a concept she as an Australian Social Worker was well versed in before leaving college. It affects all professionals but those in the helping professions can experience it on a day to day basis when dealing with other peoples trauma, we can not help but experience second hand pain. 20 years of being a social worker means a lot of second hand witnessing for me! I am very grateful to Nay for her lovely explanation about it, she also gave us a talk at one of our Stress Free caring In The City training events recently which was much appreciated.
Concepts like these help me to understand that the very things that makes us care for others also makes us neglect our own wellbeing. We are expert practitioners in our fields and highly skilled professionals in other peoples wellbeing but mostly we stop far short in having insight to our own needs and also are not good in undertaking the actions to keep ourselves well.
Vicarious Trauma is negative energy sustained by and transmitted by our thoughts.....Have you seen the secret?
So spending an afternoon with Deborah yesterday and learning a new skill and finishing my book "Inducing Wellbeing in the WorkPlace" left me feeling that I had experinced enough positive energy to counteract my whole week of possible exposure to Vicarious Trauma!
P.S Nays explanation of Vicarious Trauma is in my book.
Have a great week

The Beechroft Retreat in June 2007 was an amazing celebration for the Members of STRESS FREE CARING IN THE CITY. As Social Workers we are continuously striving to find ways to relieve our stress constructively and with fun. The Mini Retreat was the midway point to an intoxicating year of Welllbeing, Self Awareness, Self Care, Self Celebration, Self Developing Goals and Self Administration!

With the rain set to pour down and with the sun playing a game with the clouds we prepared ourselves for some serious nurturing, pampering, relaxation and fun. As usual we met up, drank tea and coffee, caught up with what we had been doing since the last months dynamic Wellbeing Taster session at Neal's Yard Meeting rooms then headed down the motorway laughing and celebrating the fact that we are able to care for ourselves well despite of the impact of our work.

We were blown away with our Mini Retreat at Beechcroft; the staff where welcoming, the building was luxurious, the food was detoxifying, the therapeutic treatments where gorgeous and the company was great!

I am clear that as Social Workers we can and will find ways to take care of ourselves and counteract the negative aspects of stress from our work. There are so many ways to do it but as a group it is proving most effective.

Thank you Yvonne, Renay, Deborah, Devon, Alison, Paulette and the staff at Beechcroft Retreats.

Warmest