Vicarious Resilience: Building resilience as helping professionals

P Presented by: Laura McArthur, PhD, Parent Possible Conference, April 16, 2019

Introduction and Agenda

• Identify at least three evidence-based strategies to improve overall well-being

• Understand and build vicarious resilience

• Develop your own resilience plan

The Phoenix Flower

Our Mission:To foster equitable, safe and resilient

communities for all youth.

J. Dorado (2015) Copyright © 2017 UCSF HEARTS. All rights reserved.

Resilience: These Kids Changed the World

Safety& Predictability

Students&

Families

Resilience & Social Emotional

Learning

Cultural Humility& Responsiveness

Trauma-Informed Principles for Promoting School and Community Success

Staff & Caregivers

System & Leadership

Students

Compassion& Dependability

Empowerment & Collaboration

UnderstandingTrauma & Stress

Modified from SFDPH Trauma Informed Systems Initiative, 2015

J. Dorado (2015)Copyright © 2017 UCSF HEARTS.

All rights reserved.

Resilience & Social Emotional

Learning

Trauma-Informed Principles for Promoting School and Community Success

Modified from SFDPH Trauma Informed Systems Initiative, 2015

J. Dorado (2015)Copyright © 2017 UCSF HEARTS.

All rights reserved.

What is Resilience? • Resilience doesn’t mean “getting over it”

• Resilience means connecting with and developing your inner and outer resources

• “the capacity to grow and thrive with strength and tenacity in the face of trauma and oppression for individuals and communities.” (Resilient Futures, 2018)

Resilient Futures, Inc., 2018

Dyadic Listening Guidelines

1. The listener does not speak to interpret, paraphrase, analyze, give advice, or break in with a personal story.

2. Confidentiality is maintained.3. The talker is not to criticize or complain about the listener

or mutual acquaintances.4. Honor Silence.

Dyadic Listening (4 minutes total)

What keeps you connected to your work?

What’s your “Why?” for doing what you do?

Resilient Futures 2018.

Compassion Satisfaction• Positive feelings from doing your job well.• Positive relationships with colleagues• Feeling your work makes a difference

WHAT KEEPS YOU CONNECTED TO YOUR WORK?

”I thought about quitting today.”

What are the hardest parts of your job?

Resilient Futures 2018.

Compassion Fatigue

What does it look like?· Increased irritability or impatience with students · Difficulty planning classroom activities/ lessons · Decreased concentration · Denial that traumatic events impact students or feeling numb and

detached · Intense feelings, intrusive thoughts or dreams about students’ trauma

that do not decrease over time. -NCTSN

Changes in the inner experience of the professional as a result of working with someone who has experienced trauma.

The profound physical, emotional and physical

erosion that takes place when helpers are

unable to refuel and regenerate

-

Compassion Fatigue: Burnout

Compassion Fatigue: Vicarious/ Secondary Trauma

What does it look like?• Increased irritability or impatience with students • Difficulty planning classroom activities/ lessons • Decreased concentration • Denial that traumatic events impact students or feeling numb and

detached • Intense feelings, intrusive thoughts or dreams about students’

trauma that do not decrease over time. -NCTSN

Changes in the inner experience of the professional as a result of working with someone who has experienced trauma.

Resilient Futures 2018

PauseBe Present

Practice Gratitude

3 Practices to Improve Overall Well-being

• Vicarious resilience is the positive effects on helping professionals who witness the

healing, recovery, and resilience of persons who have survived severe traumas in their

lives. (Hernandez, Engstrom and Gangsei, 2007)

Vicarious Resilience

Resilient Futures 2018

• Groundbreaking study in 2007 of trauma professionals. Findings:

• Witnessing clients overcome adversity demonstrating an immense capacity to heal had a positive effect on the therapist.

• The therapists’ own attitudes and emotions were changed -allowing them to reassess and cope with their own problems and adversity.

• Their work does have a positive effect on the professionals, and this effect can be strengthened by bringing conscious attention to it (Hernandez, Gangsei & Engstrom, 2007).

Vicarious Resilience

Resilient Futures 2018

• Increased curiosity• Increased tolerance for a trust in the process• Balanced self-awareness• Profound belief in the adaptability of

humanity• Deepened intimacy and ability to be

vulnerable• Respond compassionately

Vicarious Resilience

Resilient Futures 2018

-Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute

• Therapist/helping professional witnesses the client’s process of tapping in to their resilience

• Therapist/Helping professional embraces this and finds themselves becoming stronger and more resilient

• Leads to Higher Job Satisfaction, Less Burnout, and Less Turnover

Vicarious Resilience

Resilient Futures 2018

• Research shows that by simply talking about the concept of vicarious resilience and letting people know that it exists will raise the likelihood of people having the experience

• (Hernandez, Gangsei & Engstrom, 2007).

Vicarious Resilience

Resilient Futures 2018

• Increased curiosity• Increased tolerance for a trust in the process• Balanced self-awareness• Profound belief in the adaptability of humanity• Deepened intimacy and ability to be vulnerable• Respond compassionately

Vicarious Resilience

Resilient Futures 2018

-Crisis and Trauma Resource Institute

Building our resilience

Developing your own resilience plan• What will most likely ensure your ability to stay in this field?

• What will most likely to contribute to your health and balance?

• What are the experiences and inspirations you’ve had along the way that have built your vicarious resilience? How will you hold on to them?

So What Can I Do…. 2 minutesBreatheDoodleStretchUse gratitude LaughMindfulnessDoodleAcknowledge one of your accomplishmentsSay no to a new responsibilityCompliment yourselfLook out the windowDaydreamShare a favorite jokeAwareness of feelings

5 minutesListen to musicChat with a co-workerSing out loudJot down dreamsStep outside for fresh airEnjoy a healthy snack Color Make a cup of coffee/teaSchedule wellness time for the week Send a thank you card/ email Sit under a weighted blanket

10 minutesTake a walk (inside or outside) Write in a journalCall a friend or family MeditateTidy your work areaEat lunch with a co-workerDraw a pictureDanceEvaluate your dayListen to soothing sounds) Read a magazineHave a cleansing cryYoga Poses

Questions and More Information

• Resilient Futures• Resilientfutures.us• Laura.mcarthur@resilientfutur

es.us

• The Greater Good – Berkeley• https://greatergood.berkeley.e

du/

• Mindfulness• www.mindful.org