Recognizing and Addressing the Familial Effects of Trauma
When someone endures a traumatic event, it can affect not just them but the people who are around them, too. This is called indirect trauma exposure—a term used to describe close proximity to a traumatic event that you don’t experience firsthand.
This is the effect of secondary trauma in families, and in finding our resource you are in the right place to learn in-depth on the topic.
Examples of such traumatic events include but aren’t limited to intimate partner violence, child abuse, poverty, illness, natural disasters, and war. If you have a family member who has experienced one of these things, it could impact you on a secondary basis. The experts at Purpose Healing Center can help.
So, what should you know about secondary trauma? The #1 thing we can tell you is that it’s possible to heal with proper support.
First, let’s define secondary trauma and discuss its impacts, including symptoms and risk factors. Then, we’ll talk about treatment options at Purpose, how to support children experiencing trauma symptoms, and self-care following first-hand or secondary trauma.
What is Secondary Trauma?
As we touched on above, secondary trauma refers to the experience of enduring negative psychological or behavioral outcomes that stem from secondhand exposure to a traumatizing event.
It’s sometimes also referred to as “secondary traumatic stress disorder.” Some use the terms “compassion fatigue” or “vicarious trauma” to describe similar or related experiences.
Secondary trauma can affect anyone. Case managers, social workers, child welfare workers, first responders, and other frontline workers are at a high risk of secondary trauma due to their line of work.
However, secondary trauma can also affect family members who have close bonds with an individual who has experienced trauma. For example, children, parents, and extended family members. That is the type of secondary trauma we’ll be talking about today.
Understanding the Impact of Secondary Traumatic Stress in Families
Many of us know that direct trauma can seriously impact your mental and physical well-being. Secondary trauma can cause many of the same implications. In the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), secondary exposure to trauma is now known as a recognized and valid potential cause of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
PTSD is a well-known trauma disorder that affects around 6% of the population. People facing secondary trauma may experience mental health challenges such as:
- Trouble in interpersonal relationships.
- Avoidance of trauma reminders, including emotions associated with the event or tangible reminders, such as people, places, or things that remind you of a traumatic occurrence.
- New or worsened anxiety symptoms.
- New or worsened depression symptoms.
- Hypervigilance.
Intergenerational and secondary trauma survivors can also experience physical symptoms associated with trauma, PTSD, and CPTSD (Complex Trauma). For example, body aches, chronic pain, difficulty sleeping, and other common symptoms.
Risk factors for secondary traumatic stress include having a close relationship with the individual who experienced a traumatic event, repeated exposure to trauma, and a history of other mental health concerns.
Just like people of any age can have firsthand trauma experiences, people of any age can have secondary trauma, including children. A child may express symptoms in different ways than adults do.
Therapy for Secondary or Vicarious Trauma
Trauma-informed care is crucial for those who have been through secondary traumatization, just as it is ideal for those who have had a firsthand traumatic experience.
Therapies and treatments that can help with trauma include but aren’t limited to:
- Trauma-Informed Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT).
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).
- Medication Management.
- Family Therapy.
The trauma treatment programs at Purpose Healing Center use a combination of diverse therapies and treatments, such as those listed above. With a diverse range of trauma-informed providers on our team, we offer inpatient and outpatient treatment programs for those facing the effects of trauma.
What to Expect When You Reach Out for Trauma Treatment at Purpose
When you contact us about getting treatment for trauma, we’ll provide an intake assessment and will help you choose a starting level of care, such as residential care or our trauma IOP (Intensive Outpatient Program).
During an intake assessment, we’ll ask questions about things like your trauma symptoms, how long you’ve experienced them, and how they affect your life.
In our programs, you’ll get an individualized treatment plan. So, the specific therapies and treatments you participate in will depend on you. This is true regardless of your care level.
Intensive outpatient and standard outpatient programs can be ideal for those able to work or attend school while in the recovery process, whereas inpatient care offers a structured daily schedule and 24/7 support. Our intensive outpatient program (IOP) meets several times throughout the week.
There is also our partial hospitalization program (PHP). This program involves getting therapy on all weekdays (similar to a typical work or school schedule) but allows you to sleep and live at home. PHP is considered a step between inpatient and traditional intensive outpatient care.
When Vicarious Traumatization Affects a Child
Trauma can impact entire families. While seeking help for yourself, you may notice that a child needs it, too. Older children, including pre-teens and teens, can benefit from many of the same therapies as adults. Younger kids may need to address trauma through age-appropriate ways, such as play therapy.
If a child or teen in your life is experiencing posttraumatic stress symptoms, a children’s mental health specialist can help. Look for a trauma-informed child therapist near you to help them process childhood trauma before it becomes an issue as an adult.
You can filter things like age groups when using many search tools for therapists in your area.
Self-Care for First and Secondhand Survivors of Traumatic Events
One of the things our programs emphasize is creating a lasting self-care plan that you can fall back on. This will be important throughout both the initial recovery process and your daily life long-term. Your best self-care plan will be unique to you but may include:
- Peer support. Support groups can help trauma survivors and may be geared toward specific groups in some cases. Online resources for education and connection can also be helpful.
- Recreation. Identify activities that make you feel happy or relaxed and make time for them. Our programs use recreation to help clients discover activities that support their well-being in addition to therapy and other treatments.
- Regular exercise, sleep, and meals. Eating regular, balanced meals and snacks, engaging in physical activity, and getting enough sleep can be crucial for mental health and overall well-being.
- Continued therapy. Remember that you can return to therapy if you need to. Many people who have been through traumas firsthand or secondhand have ups and downs, and increased stressors in daily life can sometimes warrant a need for more support.
- Boundaries. You can’t pour from an empty cup, as the saying goes, but many trauma survivors overextend themselves or engage in responses like people-pleasing. Learning to set limits can be vital.
Education on trauma symptoms, effects, and recovery can help loved ones support and better understand each other. Our programs involve family members, if applicable, for this reason. While seeking help for trauma can feel vulnerable, it’s worth it.
Call Purpose Today and Heal From Familial Trauma
Secondary trauma stress can take a heavy physical and emotional toll. Like first-hand trauma, it requires attention and support.
By understanding the impact of traumatic events, learning healthy coping skills, and seeking support, individuals and families can recover from secondary trauma. Our team of trauma-informed treatment specialists is here to help.
Call Purpose Healing Center’s admissions line today to learn more about our programs, verify your insurance coverage for treatment, or get answers to any questions you might have about our facility.
FAQs Regarding Secondary Trauma
Who is at risk for secondary traumatic stress?
The following individuals can be at an increased risk of secondary traumatic stress.
- Trauma workers (e.g., child welfare workers and social workers).
- First responders and other medical professionals.
- Family members who witness a loved one’s trauma (or who are close to the person who has gone through trauma and witnesses the effects).
Note that this is not necessarily an extensive list.
How to recognize secondary trauma?
Mental health professionals like psychiatrists and psychologists are trained to recognize trauma disorders and symptoms. They can provide an official diagnosis or help you decide on your next steps toward healing. Looking out for PTSD symptoms in yourself can help you identify the need for treatment.
What are the three domains of secondary traumatic stress?
Intrusion, avoidance, and arousal are the three domains of secondary traumatic stress. These refer to common symptoms seen in those with a trauma-related disorder or diagnosis like PTSD.
An example of intrusion would be intrusive thoughts related to the event. Avoidance refers to avoiding feelings or external reminders related to an event. Arousal refers to reactivity in the form of symptoms including but not limited to hypervigilance, intense emotional experiences (e.g., anxiety), or being easily startled.
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