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The impact of witnessing client resilience processes on therapists working with children and youth victims of interpersonal trauma

This study investigated how therapists working with children and youth victims of interpersonal trauma (e.g. sexual abuse) are impacted by the resilience processes of their clients. Qualitative multiple case study design and thematic analysis were used to explore the research question. Four counselors working in an organization providing services to victims of trauma were interviewed and asked about how the act of bearing witness to the resilience of their clients affected their personal lives and clinical practice. The findings showed that for the participants there was an increased sense of hope and optimism, and an intense sense of being inspired by the strengths of clients as result of working with this population. To reflect about the challenges faced by clients allowed counselors to put their own challenges and strengths into perspective. In addition, they reported positive changes in their personal relationships. Further research is suggested, including further investigation about the relationship between optimism, hope and vicarious resilience processes as well as between the counseling approach adopted and the development of vicarious resilience responses. / Graduate / 0621 / 0622 / 0347 / fabianesilveira@gmail.com

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:uvic.ca/oai:dspace.library.uvic.ca:1828/4505
Date03 April 2013
CreatorsSilveira, Fabiane
ContributorsFrance-Rodriguez, Honore, Boyer, Wanda
Source SetsUniversity of Victoria
LanguageEnglish, English
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis
RightsAvailable to the World Wide Web

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