Prevention Of Secondary Traumatic Stress In Mental Health

Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is an issue that may be experienced by mental health professionals who are exposed to clients’ trauma materials and become at risk of becoming traumatized themselves. Mental health professionals working with sexually abused children are more vulnerable to STS due to their empathic engagement and level of exposure to trauma. The impact of STS can result in poor productivity, increase in illness, and turnover rates for mental health professionals. Cumulative effects of STS make awareness and early intervention imperative. Research has shown that members of the helping profession suffer emotional and physical illness more often than other professions. The vicariousness of empathy or secondary trauma is discussed in the literature as the quality of putting oneself into another’s shoes or situation. When you care for and take on another’s feelings mental health professionals may be at risk for psychological and negative physical effects. Implications for practice include increased awareness, identification and prevention of STS. This may decrease staff illness and turnover rates and increase productivity.