Chapter 17.Strains on the Therapist
Sections
Excerpt
Every career has its strains, monotonies, and challenges; indeed, many people choose demanding careers for the stimulation and challenge provided over the many years of working life. Trauma-centered psychotherapy is not unique in this regard: it has both deep rewards and perils. These have been well described in a number of excellent texts on trauma work (Dalenberg 2000; Figley 1995; Pearlman and Saakvitne 1995; Wilson and Lindy 1994). In this chapter, we discuss these strains (Table 17–1) not so much in the context of helping the therapist develop self-care strategies, but rather in relation to how they play out in the clinical interaction with clients, consistent with the focus of this book. Part of the job of a trauma-centered therapist is to know how to manage and tolerate these strains. Indeed, there would be deep irony in a trauma therapist’s complaints about hearing too much horror, just as there would be in a surgeon’s complaints about seeing too much blood. For therapists, managing the stresses of work is best achieved through competence at the tasks they are expected to perform.
Access content
To read the fulltext, please use one of the options below to sign in or purchase access.- Personal login
- Institutional Login
- Sign in via OpenAthens
- Register for access
-
Please login/register if you wish to pair your device and check access availability.
Not a subscriber?
PsychiatryOnline subscription options offer access to the DSM-5 library, books, journals, CME, and patient resources. This all-in-one virtual library provides psychiatrists and mental health professionals with key resources for diagnosis, treatment, research, and professional development.
Need more help? PsychiatryOnline Customer Service may be reached by emailing [email protected] or by calling 800-368-5777 (in the U.S.) or 703-907-7322 (outside the U.S.).
