Lawyers More Likely to Experience Second Hand Shock

By Ellie Izzo, PhD & Vicki Carpel Miller, BSN, MS, LMFT

Daniel, a family lawyer, was referred to us for treatment by his primary care physician, following an annual physical. He had met with his doctor due to multiple physical annoyances which included chronic headaches and digestive problems. When his doctor found nothing medically wrong, he suggested that Daniel might be experiencing physical symptoms due to psychological stress and referred him to us.

Daniel presented as a man sophisticated in many dimensions. He was well dressed, well spoken, confident, calm and charming and really didn’t understand why he was referred for a Vicarious Trauma consultation. Daniel’s success as a family lawyer had its benefits and its disadvantages. While he was very conscious of all the benefits he had enjoyed from a thriving practice, he was less conscious of how the stress in his work affected his health. After some interaction with him about the definition of Vicarious Trauma and after asking him the assessment questions, he experienced an “aha” moment. He was visibly concerned with how he had unwittingly been traumatized through the nature of his work.

Recently, researchers have begun to reach beyond burnout and explore the impact of Vicarious Trauma or, as we call it, Second-Hand Shock™ on professionals in the field of human service. Vicarious Trauma refers to the cumulative impact of distress that clients’ trauma content stories have on the professional. It is defined as indirect exposure to trauma through a client’s firsthand account or narrative of a traumatic event. This experience may result in a set of symptoms and reactions for the professional that parallel Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. Remarkably, lawyers suffer from Second-Hand Shock™ at a rate higher than mental health professionals!

Research demonstrates that Vicarious Trauma has the potential to exact a huge toll on the professional. It may cause disruptions in the cognitive schema of one’s identity, memory, and belief system. It may also result in intrusive imagery and physical ailments. It may evoke feelings of incompetence, cynicism, and isolation. Professionals in the human service fields, those we call “pedestal professionals”, may even be at risk for mitigated judgment such as successful boundary negotiation as a result of Vicarious Trauma. They can also suffer compromised needs, including safety, trust, esteem, intimacy, and self-control.
Ultimately, vicarious traumatization of helping professionals can be described as damage to their sense of professionalism. If they are to maintain an ethical pace with the human service needs of those they serve while living in an increasingly dangerous world, then they also need recognition and protection of their own precious well-being.

Many professionals, like Daniel, are suffering and attribute that suffering to other things. After Daniel worked with us, his physical symptoms resolved and he felt renewed in his work. He has now created a lifestyle that includes Vicarious Trauma prevention.

It is troubling that most ethical codes do not address the welfare of the professional in regard to Vicarious Trauma. It is potentially dangerous to both professionals and clients to continue to revere the image of the dedicated, self-sacrificing workers who never give much attention to their own needs. This view can only perpetuate the suffering due to Vicarious Trauma. The welfare of the helping professional for his/her own sake is increasing in ethical importance. Professionals often receive blame for stress responses, rather than acknowledge the same stress response as a natural one and an opportunity for exploration and dialogue.

Professional organizations need to support their members in the battle against Second-Hand Shock™. The inclusion of the welfare of the professional is an integral aspect of ethical standards and may truly be the best way to serve the client.

You really can't prevent Vicarious Trauma...it's inevitable if you work with trauma content and/or high conflict clients.

Here are some tips for dealing with that reality:

• Get informed on Second-Hand Shock™

• Assess/evaluate your risk for SHS

• Shed the shame if you are struggling

• Share your experience with others…
transparency is for more than collaboration.

• Spread the word!

About the Authors

Vicki Carpel Miller, BSN, MS, LMFT
Vicki is co-founder and a core trainer with the Vicarious Trauma Institute, utilizing the Rapid Advance Process® for treatment of Vicarious Trauma. She is co-author of Day After Day the Price You Pay: Managing Your Second Hand Shock and The Second-Hand Shock™ Workbook.

She is an internationally recognized presenter and trainer in the field of Collaborative Practice, training family lawyers, licensed mental health and financial professionals world-wide in the Collaborative Divorce Full Interdisciplinary Team Model of Collaborative Practice with Collaborative Divorce Team Trainings.

Vicki is co-founder of the Collaborative Divorce Professionals of Arizona and functions as a divorce coach, child specialist and/or case manager in Collaborative Divorce files. She is a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), the American Counseling Association (ACA), a Clinical Member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT), the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), and an Advanced Practitioner Member of the Association for Conflict Resolution. Vicki has received advanced training in family mediation, narrative mediation, interest-based negotiation, Collaborative Law and Collaborative Divorce Interdisciplinary Team Practice. To reach Vicki, please email vcarpelmiller@vicarioustrauma.com.

Ellie Izzo, PhD, LPC

Dr. Ellie Izzo is a Licensed Professional Counselor and has been in clinical practice since 1982. Ellie is co-founder and a core trainer with the Vicarious Trauma Institute. She developed the Rapid Advance Process™, which was the subject of her doctoral dissertation. She is the author of The Bridge to I Am: Rapid Advance Psychotherapy©2007 and co-author of Day After Day the Price You Pay: Managing Your Second Hand Shock and The Second-Hand Shock™ Workbook.

Ellie conducts all phases of psychotherapy. She also serves as a Divorce Coach, Child Specialist and/or Team Manager in the process of Collaborative Divorce, whereby a team of professionals help a couple move through divorce respectfully, without litigating.

Ellie is a member of the American Psychological Association, the American Counseling Association, the American Mental Health Counselors Association, International Academy of Collaborative Professionals and Collaborative Divorce Professionals of Arizona. She is married with children and grandchildren. Her office is located in Scottsdale, Arizona. To reach Ellie, please email ellieizzo@vicarioustrauma.com.