How can I prepare my staff to view large amounts of distressing, potentially traumatic material? In the 16 years I have provided training to lawyers on vicarious trauma, I have been asked this question often. It is a good question!
Many lawyers are exposed to confronting material. Lawyers deal with gruesome detail of murder, sexual assault, child death, life-changing injuries and heart-breaking stories of abuse and neglect.
Repeatedly engaging with the trauma of others can lead to vicarious trauma.
Vicarious trauma can have profound negative impacts such as feeling less safe in the world, trusting people less, feeling less able to connect to yourself and others. It can include intrusive thoughts of client trauma, nightmares and feeling less able to manage emotions about the trauma.
We see a lot of pretty confronting material. It can affect you. Some images, stories are hard to get out of your head. They stay with you longer.
Leaders play a critical role in preparing their teams to handle this exposure. Below are three key strategies to consider:
Create a safe environment to discuss the impact of distressing material
I regularly ask lawyers what helps them to view difficult material. One of the top answers is that simply having a senior lawyer share that they find the material difficult, really helps.
When senior lawyers acknowledge the difficulty of viewing such material, it normalises the experience and reduces stigma.
It is also helpful for senior lawyers to check in regularly with staff when viewing large amounts of material. This reinforces that it is okay to be affected by the material and to seek support. Ensure staff can access external psychologists for vicarious trauma support this adds another layer of safety and conveys that proactively managing vicarious trauma is encouraged.
Provide training on vicarious trauma
Training is essential to help all staff understand vicarious trauma, recognise its signs, and adopt evidence-based coping strategies.
With shared knowledge and language, leaders and staff can engage in meaningful discussions about managing the risks. Training also encourages proactive management, ensuring a smoother process for regular check-ins.
Encourage strategies for before, during and after exposure
Before:
Implement a warning system for potentially traumatic material. This reduces unnecessary exposure and allows people to prepare to see the material.
When possible, allow staff to choose when to view the material. This control over the material can be helpful. For example, some people like to view early in the day so there is time for a debrief in the afternoon. Some like to work on something less confronting at the end of the day to create a buffer between difficult material and their personal life.
During:
Encourage staff to focus on the specific legal task. A senior lawyer explained that she does not open a file to view difficult material until she is very clear what she is looking for.
Having the legal task in mind, helps her manage viewing the material. Simple but excellent advice. Encourage staff to take regular breaks. It gives the nervous system an opportunity to recover and reduces cumulative stress.
After:
Encourage informal debriefs with colleagues or managers. These discussions provide an opportunity to reflect on the experience and process its impact with someone who understands the work demands. Such interactions, though brief, can significantly mitigate the effects of vicarious trauma.
By implementing these strategies, leaders can help mitigate the risks of vicarious trauma, supporting staff effectiveness and wellbeing.
Bernadette Hughes is a psychologist and Vicarious Trauma Trainer.
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