A qualitative exploration of mental health professionals' experience of working with survivors of trauma in Sri Lanka

Abstract

This study explored the struggles and rewards of trauma work and the notion that

Vicarious posttraumatic growth: A systematic literature review

“…Social support, in particular supervision and peer support, has been linked with the development of VPTG (Brockhouse et al, 2011;, 2007Satkunanayagam et al, 2010;Tehrani, 2010). Such findings are consistent with influential models of posttraumatic growth (Schaefer & Moos, 1998;Tedeschi & Calhoun, 2004) which suggest that social support positively influences coping and adaption following trauma, improves social resources, and decreases isolation and loneliness, all facilitating posttraumatic growth.…”

“…Many of the studies reviewed supported a positive association between engaging in self-care activities and VPTG (Arnold et al, 2005;Barrington & Shakespeare-Finch, 2013;Satkunanayagam et al, 2010;Splevins et al, 2010;Tehrani, 2010). Only one study reported that it did not find a significant positive relationship between self-care and VPTG (Lambert & Lawson, 2013), and this study reported little information on how self-care was defined or assessed.…”

“…Participants spoke of the realisation that their work was valuable, that they had the ability to make a difference in the lives of direct trauma survivors, and that their experience had enhanced their professional capabilities (Barrington & Shakespeare-Finch, 2013;Guhan & Liebling-Kalifani, 2011;Bentar, 2000;Satkunanayagam, Tunariu, & Tribe, 2010;Shamai & Ron, 2009;Splevins et al, 2010). Overall, VPTG made participants feel more competent in their workplace.…”

“…Only one study reported that it did not find a significant positive relationship between self-care and VPTG (Lambert & Lawson, 2013), and this study reported little information on how self-care was defined or assessed. Common self-care activities cited in the studies reviewed include exercise, healthy eating, engaging in hobbies, prayer, and spiritual and religious activities (Arnold et al, 2005;Barrington & ShakespeareFinch, 2013;Satkunanayagam et al, 2010;Splevins et al, 2010;Tehrani, 2010). Splevins et al (2010) argued that self-care activities were active and conscious coping strategies utilised by participants to reduce psychological distress and protect their wellbeing.…”

The development of a model for dealing with secondary traumatic stress in mental health workers in Rwanda

“…The impact of STS on mental health workers in Rwanda and the insufficient support system need to be investigated, as mental health workers who are overburdened with work, stress and their own traumas have few resources left to care for and comfort others (Iyamuremye & Brysiewicz, 2008). Unfortunately, most mental health workers are unaware of the nature and extent of STS, lack access to supportive resources and have little or no training about how to recognise symptoms in themselves and others, or how to respond to the resulting distress (Satkunanayagam, Tunariu, & Tribe, 2010).…”