Unveiling Vicarious Trauma with the Johari Window
The work we do as trauma therapists is incredibly rewarding, and yet we have to carry the weight of this work well beyond the therapy space. At first, we don’t notice the extra load on our backs, but if we aren’t regularly checking in with ourselves it can easily become overwhelming.
That’s why each month in The BRAVE Trauma Therapist Collective, we focus on one element of my signature framework, Name It, Tame It, Reframe It 👇
Name It helps us learn different ways to identify vicarious trauma so we can respond to our ever-changing physical, emotional, relational, and occupational needs as trauma therapists.
Tame It allows us to build up our toolkit of ways to manage vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue, helping us to prevent burning out while doing the work we love.
Reframe It is a way to refocus on the rewards we reap and the gifts we receive each and every day in this work - big ones but especially the little ones.
In BRAVE, we regularly cycle through this framework, meaning we come back to each component every 3 months.
This month we are focusing on Naming Vicarious Trauma. The first way I typically encourage trauma therapists to approach this is by using my free Vicarious Trauma Tracker to get a better sense of what it’s like when VT is really getting in the way for you. Inside of The BRAVE Collective though, we get to dive deeper and explore a variety of methods to name VT, knowing that it’s definitely not a one size fits all activity.
In developing this month’s content, I was fortunate to be reminded of a really valuable tool that many of us forget about after learning it in grad school - The Johari Window.
Understanding the Johari Window:
The Johari Window is a powerful self-assessment tool that was created by psychologists Joseph Luft and Harrington Ingham. The goal of using this tool is to help us better understand ourselves and our relationships with others by examining 4 “windows” or quadrants -
The Open Window: information that you and others know about you
The Blind Spot: information only others know about you
The Hidden Window: information only you know, that you do not share, and
The Unknown Window: information neither you nor others know about you
Ultimately, we want to use the insight gained through this exercise to expand our Open Window, which is best done by asking others for feedback (learning what’s in the Blind Spot) and sharing information from our Hidden Window in safe and supported ways.
What Does the Johari Window Have to do with Vicarious Trauma?
Yes, I know, the Johari Window is about self-awareness and communication. In fact, it’s most commonly used in IO psych and group settings. However, if you keep reading, you’ll see how my brain has worked to adapt this age-old technique to help you not only Name Vicarious Trauma but also to improve the ways you communicate with your loved ones about what it’s like to soak up the stress and trauma you work with and the kinds of supports you need to wring out your VT sponge.
First, we need to modify the traditional exercise to focus on the signs of vicarious trauma instead of looking at personality and other characteristics.
Pro Tip: Grab my free VT Tracker to help you with the signs and symptoms!
Once you know the common signs of vicarious trauma, choose a trusted colleague, supervisor, or loved one with whom you feel comfortable enough sharing the ways your work naturally impacts you.
Once you’ve picked your person, you are each going to choose the top 5 signs that vicarious trauma is rearing its ugly head and starting to invade your personal and/or professional space.
Then, you are going to use the Johari Window to plot out these signs of vicarious trauma, as understood by you and this other person. You’ll use the 4 windows or quadrants to help you visualize the signs of VT -
I would recommend just drawing this out on a piece of paper so you can then write in the signs of VT and visually see each quadrant.
Remember, the goal of this exercise is to increase your own self-awareness of how VT shows up for you, which requires considerable vulnerability in asking someone else how they know your VT is flaring up. It also takes a lot of courage to share with someone else signs that you work really hard to keep hidden. This exercise is not easy, but it will be incredibly powerful for you and your person!
What’s the Point?? Why Should I Do this?!
Great question, especially now that I have thoroughly scared you by telling you it’s gonna take courage and vulnerability to fully benefit from this exercise! Use my top 3 reasons below when you find yourself hesitating or avoiding this practice because I promise, it’s worth it.
1. Increased Self-Awareness: Naming vicarious trauma helps you pause and reflect on how you’re doing emotionally, physically, relationally, and occupationally. I know you don’t necessarily want to pause there, but this self-awareness is crucial for managing VT and preventing burnout as a trauma therapist.
2. Improved Communication: The Johari Window helps to open up lines of communication between you and the people you need most. By sharing signs of VT in both the open and hidden quadrants, you are connecting with your support network in deeper and more compassionate ways. And being open to learning more about your blind spot can help you connect with your supports and improve your self-care.
3. Normalizing Experiences: The Johari Window reminds us that we are not alone in our experiences of vicarious trauma. Doing this exercise with non-therapist support people can really help to educate them about what it’s like to be a trauma therapist, to dismantle the myth of therapists as emotionless or immune to trauma exposure, and to foster a greater understanding of the challenges we face in our work.
Next Steps:
To sum it up, the Johari Window can be a really valuable tool for trauma therapists that helps us navigate the complexities of vicarious trauma. By working through the exercise, you are going to be able to:
Better identify signs and symptoms of VT,
Increase self-awareness of how VT shows up for you,
Improve communication with your support people, and
Better seek support around VT when needed
Embracing this practice can help you to prioritize your well-being, which is going to benefit you, the people you love, and of course your clients.
Remember, even in the noble act of helping others heal, us trauma therapists must prioritize our own healing by acknowledging and addressing vicarious trauma.
And make sure you grab my free Vicarious Trauma Tracker (plus bonus mini-course!) to help you develop your own practice of regularly naming VT.
