Children of divorce probably watch their parents lead by example more closely than the general population of children. Why? Because they simply do not know what to do, what to say, or how to feel. They may have heard the word “divorce”, but may have very limited internal resources with which they can make sense of the concept. Continue reading
Tag Archives: death
9/11 Still an Issue a Decade Later
Can you imagine that helping professionals and other caring witnesses are still suffering trauma responses a decade after the 9/11 tragedy? That certainly speaks to how insidious the effects of vicarious trauma can be! It also demonstrates a saddening lack of compassion and absence of resources for our heroes. Continue reading
Suicide and the Client Who Never Was
If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please remember that suicidal thinking is the result of being in an extreme shame attack. The suffering person is grappling with life-issues or events that provide a context of seeing oneself as unlovable and worthless. Continue reading
Road to Resilience Can Be Rocky
Attending and graduating from the “School of Hard Knocks” plays a key role in how a person learns to be resilient. Studies show that kids who grew up in adverse living conditions seem to demonstrate a richer depth of resilience in adulthood. Continue reading
Bin Laden a Has-Been in a Culture of Trauma
Justice may have been done and we may have fought the good fight; but according to the news, Bin Laden is already a has-been and we will need to brace ourselves for whatever comes next. Continue reading
Statistics on Depression are Depressing
Sounds like it is time to discuss depression as an occurrence that might be described as heading in the direction of an epidemic. Continue reading
Signs of Addiction Can Be Subtle Among Professional Helpers
An interesting article appeared online regarding the more subtle signs of addiction. The author, Ms. Melanie Haiken claims that knowing whether someone you love has a problem with drugs or alcohol is not always as obvious as you might think. People tend to stereotype the typical alcoholic as someone staggering around with a bottle in … Continue reading
9/11 Second-Hand Shock Still an Issue a Decade Later.
Can you imagine that helping professionals are still suffering trauma responses a decade after the 9/11 tragedy? That certainly speaks to how insidious the effects of vicarious trauma can be! Continue reading
Second-Hand Shock Impacts a Generation
I attended a sobering 60th birthday party yesterday evening. It was a large room full of aging baby-boomers: the most disappointed generation. While everyone seemed to be having a good enough time, there was an unmistakable malaise in the air. We baby boomers have had a tough pill or two to swallow. Having been born … Continue reading
Could James Arthur Ray be suffering from Second-Hand Shock?
James Arthur Ray may very well be paying the price for working with untreated Second-Hand Shock. His job, which focused on helping people deal with work-related stress, probably put him at risk to hear lots of trauma content stories over time while having to control his empathic response; a perfect storm for contracting Vicarious Trauma. … Continue reading
