Helping the Helper: Managing Vicarious Trauma from Work

In 2019, I published my dissertation research focusing on the extent Title IX agents in colleges and universities experienced vicarious trauma because these professionals work with individuals who may have experienced trauma. People in the helping professions understand the cost to caring, and professionals who hear clients' (or students') stories of fear, pain, and suffering may feel similar fear, pain, and suffering because they care. With the national average of approximately 50% of women and 60% of men in the United States being exposed to a potentially traumatizing event, it is vital the experiences be shared, to serve as a protective factor. Based on my doctoral research, I have developed and delivered over the past 4 years a variation of workshops to provide helping professionals with basic information and skills to identify and process vicarious trauma. I also explored the additional research learned from conducting these diverse national workshops and shared best practices as gleaned from workshop participants. Readers of this article will increase their knowledge about personal strategies for managing vicarious trauma.