Working safely with distressing material

The guidance below is best practice. It will not always be possible for you to follow all of it due to things outside of your control e.g. deadlines. It's important you highlight and discuss where you're unable to follow the guidance this with your manager as this will increase the likelihood of you feeling more extreme emotions and your risk of developing vicarious trauma.

The guidance has been informed by trauma informed principles. If you are looking to create guidance for a specific project, goal or individual, this is a very good place to start.

Trauma Informed Principles

1. Peer Support – Value lived experienced and peers

2. Diversity – Acknowledge, respect and embrace diversity

3. Collaboration – Share power and decision-making

4. Empowerment & Choice – Empower people and respect their choices

5. Trustworthiness – Build trust and be transparent

6. Safety – Promote physical and emotional safety

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What does 'bad practice' look like?

Below is a list of examples of how not work with distressing material. Working in this way below would highly likely lead you to experiencing vicarious trauma:

. Work to a tight deadline.

. Work with the material for extended periods of time.

. Work on distressing material on your own.

. Don't make your manager or colleagues aware of what you're working on.

. Work solely on this material, without having another project or collection to work on.

. Read secondary resources about the topic or collection you're working on outside of work.

. Carry out work while working from home.

. Use google or search engines excessively to find out more.

. Forget or avoid telling your family, friends or support network what you're working on.

. Have no tangible payoff at the end.

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What can you do instead?

•Do some research on vicarious trauma - see the 'Identifying side effects and emotions' page for a list of side effects and emotions.

. Familiarise yourself with the side effects emotions you can experience

•Think about lived experience that you might have to relive via your work

•Say no

•Practice checking in with yourself and others

– How am I feeling? What am I feeling?

•Use an emotions wheel

•Organise and join group work where possible

•Source and undertake training

•Speak to your colleagues. What have they experienced? What methods do they use?

•Use a ‘first aid kit’

•Think and ask about tangible goals you can build into your work