Indirect Trauma Indirect Trauma Professionals who work with trauma survivors in an open, engaged, and empathic way and who feel responsible or committed to helping them are likely to experience indirect trauma. That means that they will be transformed by the work. The way helpers understand and experience the world and themselves is changed as they enter into the world of the survivor. While trauma work can be very meaningful and rewarding, it can also be very difficult and painful. The changes helpers experience in their identities, world views, and spirituality affect both the helpers' professional relationships with clients and colleagues and their personal relationships.
Indirect trauma is the cumulative response to working with many trauma survivors over time.
The signs and symptoms of indirect trauma resemble those of direct trauma. Treaters may experience intrusive imagery and thoughts, physiological arousal, avoidance, or anxiety. Treaters may also experience disruptions in their personal or professional relationships, in managing boundaries, and in regulating their emotions. They may withdraw from others, become hopeless, have nightmares or difficulties sleeping, overeat, overuse alcohol, and so forth. Work with clients who have had specific traumatic experiences may affect the treater in specific ways.