Trauma-Informed Care and Compassion Fatigue in Social Workers

News
Tarih 14.05.2024
Birim Nezahat Keleşoğlu Faculty of Health Sciences
SDG Good Health and Well-Being, Quality Education, Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

Although the definition of compassion fatigue has evolved over the past three decades, the goal remains similar and refers to social workers' diminished ability to cope with their caregiving responsibilities. Compassion fatigue can occur in any social worker or helping professional, carries profound emotional exhaustion, ebbs and flows on a daily basis, and can be a result of exposure to trauma (vicarious trauma) or repeated trauma. Trauma Informed Care is an organizational approach that attempts to prevent retraumatization while promoting healing. The TIC service provider approaches each client with the assumption that the individual may have experienced trauma. Social workers frequently encounter clients with a history of trauma, defined as exposure to an extraordinary experience that produces a response of physical or psychological threat, helplessness, and fear to themselves or others. Deterioration in the psycho-social well-being of clients exposed to trauma may occur, and social workers and professional interventions are needed to rebuild this situation. Social workers have important roles, especially in connecting clients with resources that will provide social support. Clinical social work practices were discussed in this session of the "social work clinical days" event series, which was organized to enable social work department students to closely follow current practices in the field and learn new developments. The guest, who works in the relevant field, gave information about the importance, symptoms and processes of trauma-informed care and compassion fatigue.