The Effects of Trauma on Clients and Mental Health Counselors
Introduction
Anyone who deals regularly with victims of trauma or is exposed to graphic pictures or text of trauma, can experience the effects of secondary or vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma (VT) will affect thinking, while secondary traumatic stress (STS), or compassion fatigue, affects feelings and behavior of the counselor. The purpose of this paper is to discuss man-made or natural disasters as well as personal trauma, and the counselor’s role in these situations. Skills to help the counselor deal with the effects of vicarious trauma will also be discussed in this assignment.
Trauma Examples
Man-made and natural disasters are traumatic to both the client and to the counselor. Oftentimes, the counselor is also feeling the effects of the disaster that has occurred, and is trying on his own to deal with the aftermath himself. He then needs to assist the client with dealing with the event as well. The example that comes to this writer’s mind is the 9/11 attacks and the sniper shootings in the Washington DC area that followed the terrorist attacks a year later. These two events were terrifying for those of us who lived in the areas of the attacks—this writer will never forget the feeling of the ground shaking when the Pentagon was hit—and watching the military planes take off into the sky—the desperation of trying to get in touch with loved ones in NYC and the helplessness in trying to get to my son’s school to hug him close.
The event this writer wishes to discuss is one that happened in my hometown, a year after the 9/11 terrorist attacks: The DC Sniper. The snipers were eventually caught, after a three week killing spree which left 10 people killed and three others injured, in the DC area. There was speculation that John Muhammad had sympathized with bin Laden and was supportive of the attacks on the Twin Towers and The Pentagon . His partner in the sniper shootings, John Lee Malvo, was only 17 at the time of their killing spree.
This writer
Anyone who deals regularly with victims of trauma or is exposed to graphic pictures or text of trauma, can experience the effects of secondary or vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma (VT) will affect thinking, while secondary traumatic stress (STS), or compassion fatigue, affects feelings and behavior of the counselor. The purpose of this paper is to discuss man-made or natural disasters as well as personal trauma, and the counselor’s role in these situations. Skills to help the counselor deal with the effects of vicarious trauma will also be discussed in this assignment.
Trauma Examples
Man-made and natural disasters are traumatic to both the client and to the counselor. Oftentimes, the counselor is also feeling the effects of the disaster that has occurred, and is trying on his own to deal with the aftermath himself. He then needs to assist the client with dealing with the event as well. The example that comes to this writer’s mind is the 9/11 attacks and the sniper shootings in the Washington DC area that followed the terrorist attacks a year later. These two events were terrifying for those of us who lived in the areas of the attacks—this writer will never forget the feeling of the ground shaking when the Pentagon was hit—and watching the military planes take off into the sky—the desperation of trying to get in touch with loved ones in NYC and the helplessness in trying to get to my son’s school to hug him close.
The event this writer wishes to discuss is one that happened in my hometown, a year after the 9/11 terrorist attacks: The DC Sniper. The snipers were eventually caught, after a three week killing spree which left 10 people killed and three others injured, in the DC area. There was speculation that John Muhammad had sympathized with bin Laden and was supportive of the attacks on the Twin Towers and The Pentagon . His partner in the sniper shootings, John Lee Malvo, was only 17 at the time of their killing spree.
This writer
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