Too many sad stories: clinician stress and coping.

Abstract

Introduction: Mental health clinicians make their careers working with patients and families who have experienced extremes of stress and trauma.

Methods: The psychological effects on the caregiver of prolonged therapeutic work with traumatized patients have previously been studied within the theoretical frameworks of Burnout, Secondary Post Traumatic Stress and Vicarious Traumatization.

Results: We report a qualitative study of experienced clinicians' responses to the stressors inherent in such therapeutic work, and the coping strategies they developed.

Conclusion: We found that some degree of vicarious traumatization was the main result of engaging in such work.