God has gifted each of us individually with unique personalities and a desire to serve people.  Sometimes it is this very willingness to get involved in people’s lives and help that makes us particularly vulnerable to vicarious trauma (i.e. hearing the stories of others who have experienced terrible traumas), compassion fatigue and burnout.  Despite our desire to help others, we also need to recharge from time to time, and establish habits of self-care and balance.  Consider the role of “practicing resilience” as it applies to maintaining emotional, psychological and spiritual health to thrive in a stressful career for many years.

• Read Chapters 11-12 in the textbook by Southwick & Charney.

• Watch the TEDx lecture by Dr. Meghan McElheran on Trauma, Change, Resilience provided in the link below.

<span class="axScoreIndicator axVtbeEmbedded video"></span> Trauma, Change, Resilience
<span class="contextMenuContainer video" bb:menugeneratorurl="/webapps/cmsmain/webui/courses/ol.PSY456-O-FE23A/WK5%20Trauma%2C%20Change%2C%20Resilience%20Video.mp4?action=details&subaction=generateFileMenuItem&uniq=-nso5ik&course_id=_11793_1&ctxMenuXythosId=15321975_1&course_id=_11793_1" bb:navitem="" bb:contextparameters="" bb:menuorder="openId_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,open_with_browser_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,open_with_bbdrive_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,openWebId_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,view360Id_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,*separator*,*separator*,ax-ally-placeholder_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,ax-ally-markForAxAnalysis_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,*separator*,*separator*,content_settings_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,content_editSettings_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,content_edit_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,properties_folder_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,itemcarot_managerecord_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,comments_tool_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,subscriptions_list_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,content_readfile_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,content_overwrite_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,passes_tool_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,permissions_tool_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,content_add_alignment_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,content_tracking_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,content_versions_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,*separator*,*separator*,bookmarkId_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,itemsId_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,packagesId_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,emailId_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,removeContentFolderId_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,*separator*,copyContentId_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,moveContentId_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,*separator*,removeContentId_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,*separator*,Metadata_General_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,Metadata_Dublin_Core_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,Metadata_IMS_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4,Metadata_Full_IMS_fb5f4ae42a3d488fa69b9bf414457de4," bb:overwritenavitems="" bb:beforeshowfunc=""></span>

• Prepare to discuss specifics of “practicing resilience” as described by Southwick and Charney.  Ensure the following points are addressed:

• • Using available Internet references, define vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue and burnout.
  • What thinking patterns or habits make the human services professional more prone to vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue or burnout?
  • What personality traits do you have that you may need to manage (or be aware of) as you implement self-care strategies?

Support your work with scholarly academic resources, textbooks, or other sources provided.  Quoting or paraphrasing from any source in discussion posts requires APA format by including an in-text citation and listing the reference at the end of the post.