P Talk to someone. Whether nurse or psychotherapist, everyone who deals with trauma should have someone to talk to, either a willing friend or another professional. As in the case of so many health care professions, honoring the patient s confidentiality precludes venting to a friend. Besides, many friends don t want to hear the kind of details the trauma worker knows. If there is no formal supervision at work for this kind of support, think about starting a group.
Individual counseling can be appropriate for anyone who works with trauma victims.
And if you re a mental health professional, don t be reluctant to practice what you preach seek your own therapist. P Cultivate healthy habits. These would include proper diet, rest, exercise and breaks the kinds of things you probably tell your patients to do. Don t let paperwork spill into your lunchtime. The same is true of daily minibreaks.