First, I was obsessively seeking out news of the fire. I worried about the well-being of friends and colleagues, monitored air-quality levels, juggled the physical and emotional needs of two very scared daughters, evacuated or helped others to evacuate, all while trying to continue to do as much work as possible. It was intense.

Then, just as firefighters heroically saved our beautiful community, and life was starting to get back to normal with the dawn of a New Year, we’ve been hit with unimaginably devastating mudslides and debris flows.

Because we are all suffering from secondary or vicarious trauma.  

I would like to share some valuable suggestions adapted from Transforming the Pain: A Workbook on Vicarious Traumatization for Helping Professionals who Work with Traumatized Clients.

Awareness

Balance

Connection

To read more of Alana Walczak's article, visit, https://www.noozhawk.com/artic...ress_what_you_can_do

— Alana Walczak is CEO of the nonprofit CALM (Child Abuse Listening Mediation),  a leader in developing programs and services that effectively treat child abuse and promote healing, as well as programs that help prevent abuse through family strengthening and support. Click here for more information, or call 805.965.2376. Click here for previous columns.