Trauma survivor working with trauma survivors

Hey all, long time no post. I hope everyone has been okay.

I'm just feeling really tired at the moment. I'm having some setbacks. I got a job at the beginning of the year. It's my first job ever and I'm grateful for it. However, it's very difficult, especially when you're dealing with setbacks.

I'm a peer support specialist on a hotline and many of these calls are from people who have been through trauma and abuse. I feel like it is almost impossible to not take your work home with you when you are in the mental health field, especially when you have been through trauma of your own. So I compartmentalize but then I immediately get another call. Then I go home and it's tough.

I've known I wanted to be a therapist since I was in high school (although I wanted to be a musician more), so I knew this would happen. But knowing and experiencing it are 2 different things, you know? It's also my first job so I'm learning how to cope with everything.

It also doesn't help that many of these calls are also about relationship issues and many of these relationships remind me of my past romantic relationship and my past partner. The trauma stories are similar to what has happened to her and it makes me feel sad for her. Sometimes I honestly think more about her trauma than mine when I get these calls, which I'm not sure is a good thing or a bad thing.

I just feel really sad for these callers and...I dunno. Don't get me wrong. I love helping people, especially since I've been through my own stuff and it's nice to relate to people and support them. It's hard.

Then I keep thinking about my dreams in life but that's another story.

I don't know where I'm going with this but I just wanted to vent a bit. Thanks for reading.

Any really good therapist is seeing a therapist her or himself. One can't do the type of work you're doing & not have somewhere to process it all. The alternative is, to my mind at least, a likely quick & dramatic burnout. I don't know if you're seeing a counselor or therapist at the present time or, if you are, if you're able to talk about this stuff. But I think it will be really important for you to do so... especially if you have designs on becoming a therapist yourself one day.

Here's a link to a YouTube video, by family therapist Kati Morton, where Kati talks about the importance of therapists seeing therapists themselves:

Hi! I really like Kati Morton. I'm subscribed to her channel.

I've been in therapy for 4 years and I'm still seeing a therapist. I plan on talking to her about it more in detail tomorrow when I see her. I brought up that I'm tired but I didn't go into detail. All mental health professionals burnout at some point and it can be very quick, as you said, especially if you're now starting out.


Thanks!

Well one of my dreams is to be a sexual abuse counselor so kids dont get so messed up by it. The only thing is, is that I am so triggered by hearing stories of sexual abuse I cant do that. Everyone is different in their healing process and what they are capable of though. If anything I think it makes you a more empathetic counselor. Thats a good thing. Maybe you could see a therapist so your issues are addressed as well.

Hi there, thanks a lot for the support! I've been in therapy for 4 years and I'm currently seeing a therapist. It's still hard, though. I also want to work with people who are being abused but in the LGBT community. I won't lie: it is quite triggering. It's something you really have to think about, and make sure you have a therapist, too.

I should also mention that I do see a therapist.

No problem