Help for the Helper:

The Psychophysiology of Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma

Babette Rothschild

with Marjorie Rand

Hear Babette Rotschild interviewed about her new book, Help for the Helper, on Psychjourney.

Praise for Help for the Helper:

“[F]ull of useful ideas and practices for almost anyone who is struggling to take care of a human in need.”

 - Greater Good

"The book is written from a pragmatic, non-spiritual perspective and is a great reminder of the fact that we do need to look after ourselves, as well as giving us a variety of useful strategies to help survive the ups and downs of therapeutic life."
—The Fulcrum

“[A] valuable contribution to the field of body psychotherapy.”
—British Journal of Biodynamic Massage

"Written with a lot of common sense, it is easy to read and will be helpful to all therapists, whether they work with trauma and disaster victims or not."
—International Review of Psychiatry

Advance Acclaim for Help for the Helper:

"Babette Rothschild has done a masterful job in laying out important principles and strategies to avoid compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout. She integrates several core psychological concepts-countertransference projective identification, and empathy-with recent research on mirror neurons, emotional contagion, and neurobiology. Help for the Helper, so clearly written and well organized, will benefit any practitioner who wants to avoid the fatigue that interferes with treatment of the people who are most in need of our help. Reading this book, and following the exercises Rothschild provides will be of value for both new and experienced therapists."

–Marion F. Solomon, Ph.D., founder of the Lifespan Learning Institute in Los Angeles and author of Narcissism and Intimacy and Lean on Me

Overview

Good therapy cannot occur without empathy. Empathy, however, can jeopardize a therapist’s well-being and eventually compromise the therapeutic process itself. Here Babette Rothschild draws on the powerful mind-body perspective put forward in her highly successful The Body Remembers in order to help therapists help themselves through an understanding of the role the body plays in mental health and overall well-being.

Therapist burnout is a pressing issue. Self-care and risk-avoidance are possible only when therapists actively help themselves.

Self-care, however, needs to be grounded in neurophysiological theory and must be practiced correctly and consistently in one’s mental health work. The difference in the new awareness that Rothschild recommends will be felt not just in the life and well-being of the therapist, but also in the therapy hour as this attentiveness has its affect on the exchange between therapist and client. Help for the Helper offers readers a comprehensive approach to somatic empathy and therapist self-care.

Based on the scientific foundation of the phenomenon of somatic empathy, Rothschild offers clinicians practical skill-building advice to manage burnout and stress inside and outside the consulting room.

Contents in Detail

• Preface: Using Common Sense
• Introduction: Overview
• Organization
• Disclaimer
• Chapter 1 Psychotherapists at Risk: Therapist Assets and Deficits
• Identifying Terminology
• Countertransference
• Projective Identification
• Empathy
• Chapter 2 Managing the Ties That Bind: Theory-The Neurophysiology of Empathy
• Somatic Empathy
• Mirroring and Mimicry
• Skill Building—Facial and Postural Awareness
• Conscious Postural Mirroring
• Unmirroring
• Chapter 3 Keeping Calm: Theory—The Neurophysiology of Arousal
• Skill Building—Arousal Awareness
• The Therapist’s Brakes
• How Close is Too Close?
• Controlling Empathic Imagery
• Chapter 4 Thinking Clearly: Theory—The Neurophysiology of Clear Thinking
• Skill Building—Know Thyself
• Strengthening the Observer
• Controlling Self-Talk
• Nurturing Your Work Space
• Structured Self-Care
• Chapter 5 Concluding Reflections: Revisiting Projective Identification
• To Each Her Own Chair
• Final Words
• Appendices: Assessment
• Pilot Research

About the Author

Babette Rothschild, MSW, LCSW,is author of The Body Remembers and The Body Remembers Casebook. She offers workshops and training sessions world-wide.

From Help for the Helper:

Theories already exist about the cognitive mechanisms and psychological impact of therapeutic risks. However, for the most part, the neuropsychological and somatic aspects have yet to be looked into in depth. This volume will introduce solid research from neurobiological, experimental, social, and folk psychology that will explain the origins of the risks therapists encounter in their work with clients. Scientific findings then will form the foundation for the design and support of new skills therapists can use to improve their own situations.

Though neuroscience can be daunting for some, I would urge the reader to take the time to understand it. The risks to therapist well-being addressed here are all intimately linked to the body and brain. Knowing how you are affected by your clients will enhance your control over those effects . . . . Understanding your own psychophysiology will put you in a good position to choose skills and tailor additional interventions to your own individual needs.

ISBN: 0-393-70422-X

March 2006 / 256 pages

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