Finding Healing Within: Preventing Burnout and Thriving as a Trauma Therapist

Braving the Course Encore is Almost Here!

As Betsy and I get ready for the encore of Braving the Course, which includes 2 free CEUs for anyone that attends live, we are doing a few more companion podcast episodes and blog posts to help you prepare for the main event!

If you caught Betsy’s solo episodes last week, you learned about the bidirectional relationship between trauma and substance use; research has helped us learn that people who experience trauma are more likely to engage in problematic substance use (because drugs and alcohol are such effective coping strategies) and people who use substances in problematic ways are more likely to experience trauma.

This creates a vicious cycle of trauma and substance use that is very often showing up in our offices, whether we specialize in substance use work or not. Now, if you’re anything like me, you have actively avoided substance use work. Betsy spoke to our common objections in another episode last week and shared her top 5 reasons why we can ask about substance use without getting in over our heads.

Before I get any further, I want to let you in on a little secret - my work with Betsy as my colleague and business partner in crime has actually inspired me to start addressing substance use more actively in my practice. Yep, you read that right! Me, Jenny Hughes, the trauma therapist who so openly talks about why I absolutely do NOT work with substance use is a convert. 😉

Keep reading or listen on your favorite podcast app and I’ll tell you why I am making this major change in my own practice!

The Trauma Therapist Trauma Response

Before I tell you about why I’m making a shift in my practice and more actively working with substance use myself, let me tell you how the Trauma Therapist Trauma Response fits into some of my past decisions to avoid this work.

The Trauma Therapist Trauma Response is a model I have developed over the years in my work with vicarious trauma and burnout. This model represents the natural responses we have to doing trauma work; it is not a representation of anything wrong with you as a trauma therapist.

Why am I emphasizing this? Because of the internalized messages so many of us have that “if I’m affected by my work I’m not good enough, not cut out for this” etc. That is absolutely wrong because you are a human, and when humans sit with others in pain, our brain and body go into our own natural survival responses.

Because us trauma therapists are also highly empathic, we end up soaking up the stress and trauma we hear every day. That leads to the inevitable experience of Vicarious Trauma, which again, is not in and of itself bad! It’s just our natural response to this work. The tough part happens when we don’t have the tools, support, and resources we need to wring out our metaphorical sponge of Vicarious Trauma.

This starts the Trauma Therapist Trauma Response in motion as Vicarious Trauma turns in Compassion Fatigue because the emotional demands of your work start to outweigh your resources, leaving your cup empty. If Compassion Fatigue doesn’t get addressed, we can start to develop Secondary Traumatic Stress where we experience PTSD-like symptoms related to our work. The final step in this model is burnout, the culmination of long-term stress and exhaustion, and the moment when we feel we have to jump ship from our career in order to simply save ourselves.

Understanding Factors that Contribute to Burnout

Burnout is the last step in this model, but we don’t necessarily have to go through all the previous steps before we experience burnout. Several factors can increase the likelihood of experiencing burnout as a trauma therapist -

• The nature of your work, constantly immersed in stories of trauma, can be emotionally draining

• Our own histories of stress and trauma can sometimes make it more difficult to manage our work in trauma

• But the number 1 risk factor is lack of organizational support

When we don’t have the support we deserve to have in our work spaces (this includes private practice owners too!), we are on the fast track to burnout.

One of the biggest reasons I have avoided substance use in my work as a trauma therapist was my fear of burning out! I also have personal reasons, but my main concern has always been my own lack of support if I were to embark on this aspect of trauma work.

As I have gotten to work with Betsy in our businesses and as a professional colleague, I have firsthand experienced how empowering it is to know I have someone (and now a community of someones!) I can turn to when tough stuff comes up, as it inevitably will.

Because I was able to create, and then find, spaces where I could be seen and heard, I have been able to open up to healing and growth with my clients and myself.

It is crucial to understand that burnout is not a personal failure but rather a sign that we need to reassess and make informed choices about our paths.

The Antidote to Burnout: Finding Support and Connection within the Trauma Therapy Community

Building a supportive community is not just a luxury but a necessity for trauma therapists. When you are connected with other trauma therapists, you are surrounded by others who really get what it’s like to do this work that you love. You find yourself in spaces where you can be seen, heard, and understood without judgment.

And if the number 1 risk factor for burnout is lack of organizational support, AKA isolation, then communities of trauma therapists truly are the antidote!

I encourage you to seek out opportunities to connect with fellow trauma therapists, whether through professional organizations, online memberships, or local groups. Engaging in open and honest conversations, sharing experiences, and learning from one another can provide invaluable support and guidance on managing Vicarious Trauma and Compassion Fatigue, thus preventing Secondary Traumatic Stress and Burnout.

Nurturing Connections for a Thriving Career

Vicarious Trauma is a natural part of our work while compassion fatigue and burnout are common challenges faced by trauma therapists. Recognizing the interplay between trauma and substance use, as well as the factors contributing to compassion fatigue and burnout, is vital for our well-being.

Building a supportive community and fostering therapeutic relationships with colleagues can help us navigate these challenges more effectively. Remember, there are solutions to these struggles, and by seeking support, we can find resilience and continue doing the work we love without sacrificing ourselves.

A great first step to finding a community of supportive trauma therapists is attending the encore of Braving the Course!

Join us on September 18th at 7pmEST/4pmPST to delve deeper into these topics and gain valuable insights into addressing substance use in your practice while managing vicarious trauma and enhancing vicarious resilience.

And remember, all live attendees will receive 2 free CEUs!

We look forward to supporting you in your journey as a trauma therapist.

Join us for, Braving the Course on September 18th at 7pmEST/4pmPST.