Attending to embodied responses: a way to identify practice-based and human meanings associated with secondary trauma

Most researchers of secondary trauma have focused on the pathological aspects of embodied responses rather than their usefulness in interpreting clinical situations. In this study, the authors completed a phenomenological investigation of nursing and social work faculty and student experiences with secondary trauma. They focused on how physical sensations and perceptions alert clinicians to reflect on human meanings associated with traumatic events. Findings indicated that participants experienced strong physical sensations that served as a Geiger counter of meaning and helped clinicians reflect on and understand the traumatic event. Clinicians, educators, and students should take the time to reflect on physical sensations in order to fully understand the human and professional meanings embedded in these responses.