Secondary Traumatic Stress & Self-Care for Practitioners Flashcards
6 cards from real CDT practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Secondary Traumatic Stress & Self-Care for Practitioners flashcards as text
What is 'professional quality of life' and why does it matter for CDT practitioners?
Answer: The balance of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue that shapes a practitioner's overall well-being at work
Professional quality of life, measured by the ProQOL scale, assesses compassion satisfaction, burnout, and secondary traumatic stress to guide self-care and organizational intervention.
What is 'compassion satisfaction' in the context of CDT practice?
Answer: The positive meaning and pleasure derived from helping clients effectively
Compassion satisfaction is the fulfillment practitioners gain from their work, which buffers against compassion fatigue and STS.
How should CDT organizations address secondary traumatic stress at the systemic level?
Answer: Implement regular debriefs, peer support programs, manageable caseloads, and trauma-informed supervision
STS is a workplace hazard requiring organizational-level responses — individual self-care alone is insufficient without structural supports.
What early warning sign should a CDT practitioner recognize as a possible indicator of developing secondary traumatic stress?
Answer: Dreading sessions with certain clients or feeling emotionally numb after client contact
Avoidance and numbing are early STS signals that mirror PTSD avoidance symptoms, indicating the nervous system is beginning to be overwhelmed by cumulative exposure.
Which mindfulness-based practice is supported by evidence as effective self-care for trauma practitioners experiencing STS symptoms?
Answer: Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
MBSR has substantial evidence for reducing stress, anxiety, and burnout symptoms in helping professionals, supporting nervous system regulation.
Why is peer consultation particularly valuable for CDT practitioners experiencing STS?
Answer: It normalizes the experience of STS, reduces isolation, and provides practical coping strategies from colleagues who understand the work
Peer consultation combats the isolation of STS by creating a community of understanding and shared strategies among practitioners with similar experiences.