How do trauma therapists experience the effects of their trauma work, and are there common factors leading to post-traumatic growth?

Abstract

Recent studies on the effects of trauma work among trauma therapists have shown that the outcome is not exclusively negative, as trauma therapists also report positive experiences known as post-traumatic growth. Some preliminary understandings have emerged from limited research of individuals’ experience of post-traumatic growth in trauma therapists. This study has therefore been designed to gain insights into trauma therapists’ experiences of their trauma work and to understand the potential factors enabling post-traumatic growth.To gain an understanding of the trauma work individualistic experience, qualitative approach has been adapted. A total of 10 self-identified trauma therapists who met the inclusion criteria completed a short demographic information sheet and participated in a semi-structured interview. The data was analysed in accordance with the Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and Smith (1996) method.Participants’ perceptions about their experience of working with trauma clients indicated four superordinate themes: ‘responding to a client’, ‘noticing growth in self’, ‘making a difference’, and ‘finding their own ways to process the trauma work’.The emerging themes indicate that therapists experience a wave in terms of the trauma work’s impact, rather than simply being a negative or positive type of work. The data indicates that trauma therapists also experience growth from their work, contradicting most prior studies on the impact of trauma work on therapists. The findings are further discussed in relation to the implications for therapists and importance of self-care.