Addressing vicarious trauma

February 25, 2010 |
Valor

On February 3, 2010, about 30 advocates from various Ca Rape Crisis Centers convened in Pacifia, CA for a workshop addressing vicarious trauma facilitated by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky, author of  “Trauma Stewardship: An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others.”
As mentioned in the previous posts, A Time for Healing and Trauma Stewardship Workshop, Laura van Dernoot Lipsky has worked with trauma survivors for over a decade and has now shifted her focus on the effects of this work on other advocates in trauma-related fields. Laura addressed the importance of self-care, daily meditation, and embracing your everyday blessings without guilt.
It was great to see how many advocates were able to attend this workshop and take advantage of the tools and resources Laura provided.  One participant shared:

Laura’s presentation style was amazing. I think when doing the work that we do, and discussing how it affects us, it is important to not feel overwhelmed or be too judgmental of ourselves . Her use of humor and her ability to engage the audience seemed to bring people together and facilitated the openness for discussion.

You can hear more about the workshop and what participants had to say about it below.