The Power of Story: A Process of Renewal for Therapists Who Treat Trauma

Providing therapeutic help to someone who has suffered trauma puts the therapist at risk for vicarious traumatization. It can leave the therapist with symptoms of either an acute or a post-traumatic stress response. Therapists are story listeners. One of the primary benefits a therapist provides clients is a safe place to tell their stories and to express their pain, thus diminishing their burden. This often leaves the therapist sharing the burden and the pain. Ms. Collins and Ms. Laughlin have created a process of self-care that helps prevent and alleviate vicarious traumatization. Through the process of story-telling and hearing others' stories, therapists can be relieved of the trauma they have absorbed.

Bonnie Collins has been a clinical social worker for 33 years and is currently the Director of a Family Wellness Center where she practices as a family therapist as well as a clinical consultant to other therapists. She is also on the faculty of the Graduate School of Social Work at the State University of New York and received the Outstanding Faculty of the Year award in 2000.

Trina Laughlin:

Trina Laughlin is a clinical social worker with over 20 years experience working with women and children who have experienced domestic violence. She was a 1998 recipient of the New York State Dena P. Gold Memorial Award for outstanding work with women and children.