Too many sad stories: clinician stress and coping.
BACKGROUND
Mental health clinicians make their careers working with patients and families who have experienced extremes of stress and trauma.


METHODS
The psychological effects on the caregiver of prolonged therapeutic work with traumatized patients have previously been studied within the theoretical frameworks of Burnout, Secondary Post Traumatic Stress and Vicarious Traumatization.


RESULTS
We report a qualitative study of experienced clinicians' responses to the stressors inherent in such therapeutic work, and the coping strategies they developed.


CONCLUSIONS
We found that some degree of vicarious traumatization was the main result of engaging in such work.
Marriage
Samantha
S
Undergraduate, Faculty of Medicine, University of Melbourne, Australia.
Marriage
Keith
K