"Compassion Fatigue" (Figley, 1995) and "Operational Tempo Fatigue" (Parlotz, 1995) are constant dangers to any one working in the field of disaster operations and traumatic stress care and intervention and in the field of critical incident stress management (Mitchell, 1983).  Therefore, self-care and peer support and professional support (via consultation) must be constant in one's personal life and professional work. The intensity of working in this field can be a seductress which can eat away at the core of one's personhood and blindside even the most dedicated and competent professional.  Vicarious traumatic stress is just as toxic as the initial experience of trauma.
"Status and meaningful work are acceptable losses,
but freedom and integrity are not." (Parlotz, 1996)
Professionals working in environments which cannot effectively and adequately support their work in the fields of disaster operations, critical incident response, and traumatic stress intervention (including acute care, follow-up care, and long-term care), need to look carefully at both their own expectations and those of the organizations with whom they work.
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Copyright 1999
All rights reserved
Dr. Robert D. Parlotz
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