Recovery Process for Compassion Fatigue

Secondary traumatic stress reactions should be considered as inevitable for counselors who work with clients with traumatic stress.

Supervisors working in areas specializing in crisis or trauma work need to monitor and evaluate the levels of stress and trauma experienced by their staff on a regular basis.

Effective supervision plays a valuable role in addressing symptoms associated with compassion fatigue, as therapists may be reluctant to discuss their symptoms of compassion fatigue with co-workers or supervisors due to fears of job loss.

Practice healthy coping strategies by creating a personal wellness plan that embraces the cognitive, emotional, behavioral, spiritual, interpersonal and physical dimensions of wellness.

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Compassion Fatigue

Compassion Fatigue is "...the natural consequent behaviors and emotions resulting from knowledge about a traumatizing event experienced by a significant other or from helping or wanting to help a traumatized person". (Dr. Charles Figley, 1995)

Compassion Fatigue, also referred to as compassion stress or secondary traumatic stress, is a job hazard primarily associated with clinical settings and crisis events. Crisis workers who are the first responders in crisis situations or mental health practitioners who work with traumatized clients on a regular basis may experience negative consequences to their health and relationships and may be a risk for substance abuse or professional impairment.

Symptoms of Compassion Fatigue include:

• Psychological Distress - Addictive or compulsive behaviors, distressing emotions, nightmares, somatic complaints, or impairment in day-to-day functioning.

• Cognitive Shifts - Changes in beliefs assumptions or expectations; feeling guilty about good things in your life or feeling threatened or manipulated by your clients.

• Relational Disturbances - Changes in relationships, professionally or personally, where the counselor distances himself from others or takes excessive control or responsibility of clients or loved ones.

Causes of Compassion Fatigue:

• Direct client contact and prolonged exposure to clients who have experienced trauma. Fatigue response based on client-therapist relationship.

Higher risk of Compassion Fatigue for counselors who:

• are highly empathetic
• have had a personal experience with a traumatic event
• have unresolved traumatic conflicts
• work with traumatized children
• work with clients who have a history of psychological trauma, such as with military combat
• work with clients who have experienced trauma as a result of criminal victimization, natural disasters or social violence

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