Absorption Vulnerability

Absorption Vulnerability (AV; Compton & Patterson, 2024) is a concept that refines the understanding of compassion fatigue and secondary trauma experienced by professionals working with trauma survivors. Traditional models of secondary traumatic stress, vicarious trauma, and burnout often lack consistency and fail to account for individual susceptibility factors. The AV model addresses this gap by emphasizing the mechanisms that cause some clinicians to internalize and absorb trauma more deeply than others. It highlights relational triggers, such as personal trauma history, family of origin dynamics, attachment patterns, and differentiation of self, as key contributors to the absorption of clients' distress. This perspective shifts the focus from symptom classification to identifying the root causes of trauma absorption, aiming to mitigate the occupational risks associated with prolonged exposure to traumatic material.

The AV model introduces the concept of "trapped arousal," a physiological response in which clinicians unconsciously carry the distress of their clients, leading to emotional exhaustion, defensive reactions, and countertransference issues. Unlike previous frameworks that assume clinicians may develop a hardened response to trauma work, AV accounts for both emotional distancing and emotional flooding. The degree to which a clinician absorbs trauma is influenced by past unresolved conflicts, attachment insecurities, and the ability to regulate emotions. Without adequate processing and "metabolism" of absorbed trauma, professionals may experience physical, cognitive, and relational consequences, affecting both their well-being and their effectiveness in providing care.

To address absorption vulnerability, the AV model underscores the necessity of targeted interventions beyond traditional self-care strategies. Secondary trauma reprocessing, body-based somatic interventions, and peer or professional support are critical for preventing the accumulation of secondary trauma. Developing a strong differentiation of self allows clinicians to maintain empathy without enmeshment, fostering resilience and sustainability in trauma work. By recognizing absorption vulnerability as a central factor in professional impairment, the AV framework advocates for a paradigm shift in trauma-informed training and supervision, equipping practitioners with the skills to engage deeply with clients while safeguarding their own emotional and
psychological health.