Vicarious Trauma and Compassion Fatigue: Essentials for Therapists Working with Trauma

Psychotherapists, also (maybe even especially) those working with trauma, are particularly prone towards automatic, deep resonance with their clients. The human capacity for empathy is the somatic and emotional component, the brain's mirror neuron system is the neurological component. This talent for resonance provides therapists with both their best and truest therapeutic tool, and is also the basis for their most common and volatile professional risks: vicarious traumatization and compassion fatigue. This session includes theory, exercises, and take-home strategies to put the trauma therapist fully in charge of regulating their own empathy and mirror system rather than falling victim to its effects.