Self care for interpreters
Working in sensitive or traumatic situations, can be especially difficult for interpreters. Many interpreters work in isolation from their colleagues and commissioning organisations and some of the situations that you encounter when working as an interpreter are very likely to affect you.
In the past, this was often not recognized or was ignored and being affected was seen as a sign of failure or weakness. The effects on many professionals dealing with difficult and emotional issues, have included addictions and relationship difficulties.
Burnout can also affect the quality of service delivered, leading to cynicism, suspicion, coldness towards the client or a feeling of helplessness and ‘what’s the point’.
Clearly define the role of interpreter, its responsibilities and its boundaries.
Appreciate the great value of the role and also accept its limitations
When you know that you will be dealing with a stressful situation, try to arrive a little early and give yourself some moments beforehand.
Try not to be rushing to an appointment or focused on other demands.
Take a few minutes to clear your head. Take on the protection of your professional role, reminding yourself that this important part of your job and that you would do it with seriousness and concern, but that your ‘real life’ is separate from this.
During a session, notice how you are feeling. If you feel sick, lightheaded, or very emotional you can ground yourself by
- noticing yourself sitting in the chair
- becoming aware of the floor under your feet
- taking some deep breaths
- briefly bringing to mind someone or something that is a real support to you
- drinking some water.
Check if you are tense in any particular part, have you been unconsciously rigid in the neck or shoulders? Breathe and try to relax your body.
After a session, stretch and shake out any tension that may have built up in your body.
Learn not to allow yourself imagining the people you care about in similar situations. Watch out for this later in the day, you may suddenly realize that on the way home you have spent time imagining yourself or loved ones in similar difficult situations.
Take care around the degree of your involvement. Where a person is in crisis or vulnerable, it is normal to feel that we want to rescue or to fix things. No matter how clear we are around boundaries, there can still be some situations of intense distress or vulnerability where we can be tempted to push out the boundary.
Where possible, without breaking the boundaries of confidentiality, communicate with someone you trust about how you feel about the work, or how it is affecting you, and draw on them for support.
Stressful work may impact on your relationship with your own family and you may find yourself feeling overprotective. Seek support if necessary so that your own relationships are not adversely affected.
It is important for you to maintain your well-being.
You need to have the energy to enjoy and celebrate the good things and good times.
At the end of the day, take a little time to finish the day’s work. Become conscious of leaving the day behind. Develop a simple finishing ritual, that when done consciously and mindfully, can help to leave it behind. For example, use the journey home to unwind, maybe reflect on the day for the first third of the journey, consciously put it away for the second third, and look forward to what you will do in your time off in the last third.
Be careful when travelling: take a moment to start the journey, to become conscious of the road and the traffic. A person who has been involved in intense work can be distracted on the journey home, and may speed, go through traffic lights, or walk out into traffic.
Mark the transition from work to home life with routines that differentiate them, for example showering, changing clothes, consciously leaving work behind, and taking on/ returning to your personal life.
Interpreting in stressful situations can be physically demanding and can have a physical impact. Consider how you can relax and release physically. When working in difficult situations, exercise is an important element of self-care.
Exercise is a great release of both psychological and physical impact of trauma and can bring back balance. It will also allow an outlet for the energy that can build up when dealing with issues that can cause a lot of emotional stress.
Stress can also cause us not to care what we eat, or to eat more junk food than is good for us. Stress can also lead us to smoke or drink more than normal, or than we would wish. Be careful about rest and nutrition and monitor alcohol and cigarette intake.
During the period that you are doing this work, provide yourself with as many opportunities as possible to enjoy activities which are fun, and make a conscious decision to link in with supportive people in your own life.
It is important to maintain social networks as stress and exhaustion can lead to limiting social contacts and to you becoming more solitary.
Positive contact is especially necessary when engaged in this work.
Maintain a balance by taking part in activities that give you joy and pleasure.
For more detailed strategies for self care for interpreters in situations of sexual violence and trauma please refer to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre Handbook: Interpreting in situations of sexual violence and trauma
Working in sensitive or traumatic situations, can be especially difficult for interpreters. Many interpreters work in isolation from their colleagues and commissioning organisations and some of the situations that you encounter when working as an interpreter are very likely to affect you.
In the past, this was often not recognized or was ignored and being affected was seen as a sign of failure or weakness. The effects on many professionals dealing with difficult and emotional issues, have included addictions and relationship difficulties.
Burnout can also affect the quality of service delivered, leading to cynicism, suspicion, coldness towards the client or a feeling of helplessness and ‘what’s the point’.
Clearly define the role of interpreter, its responsibilities and its boundaries.
Appreciate the great value of the role and also accept its limitations
When you know that you will be dealing with a stressful situation, try to arrive a little early and give yourself some moments beforehand.
Try not to be rushing to an appointment or focused on other demands.
Take a few minutes to clear your head. Take on the protection of your professional role, reminding yourself that this important part of your job and that you would do it with seriousness and concern, but that your ‘real life’ is separate from this.
During a session, notice how you are feeling. If you feel sick, lightheaded, or very emotional you can ground yourself by
- noticing yourself sitting in the chair
- becoming aware of the floor under your feet
- taking some deep breaths
- briefly bringing to mind someone or something that is a real support to you
- drinking some water.
Check if you are tense in any particular part, have you been unconsciously rigid in the neck or shoulders? Breathe and try to relax your body.
After a session, stretch and shake out any tension that may have built up in your body.
Learn not to allow yourself imagining the people you care about in similar situations. Watch out for this later in the day, you may suddenly realize that on the way home you have spent time imagining yourself or loved ones in similar difficult situations.
Take care around the degree of your involvement. Where a person is in crisis or vulnerable, it is normal to feel that we want to rescue or to fix things. No matter how clear we are around boundaries, there can still be some situations of intense distress or vulnerability where we can be tempted to push out the boundary.
Where possible, without breaking the boundaries of confidentiality, communicate with someone you trust about how you feel about the work, or how it is affecting you, and draw on them for support.
Stressful work may impact on your relationship with your own family and you may find yourself feeling overprotective. Seek support if necessary so that your own relationships are not adversely affected.
It is important for you to maintain your well-being.
You need to have the energy to enjoy and celebrate the good things and good times.
At the end of the day, take a little time to finish the day’s work. Become conscious of leaving the day behind. Develop a simple finishing ritual, that when done consciously and mindfully, can help to leave it behind. For example, use the journey home to unwind, maybe reflect on the day for the first third of the journey, consciously put it away for the second third, and look forward to what you will do in your time off in the last third.
Be careful when travelling: take a moment to start the journey, to become conscious of the road and the traffic. A person who has been involved in intense work can be distracted on the journey home, and may speed, go through traffic lights, or walk out into traffic.
Mark the transition from work to home life with routines that differentiate them, for example showering, changing clothes, consciously leaving work behind, and taking on/ returning to your personal life.
Interpreting in stressful situations can be physically demanding and can have a physical impact. Consider how you can relax and release physically. When working in difficult situations, exercise is an important element of self-care.
Exercise is a great release of both psychological and physical impact of trauma and can bring back balance. It will also allow an outlet for the energy that can build up when dealing with issues that can cause a lot of emotional stress.
Stress can also cause us not to care what we eat, or to eat more junk food than is good for us. Stress can also lead us to smoke or drink more than normal, or than we would wish. Be careful about rest and nutrition and monitor alcohol and cigarette intake.
During the period that you are doing this work, provide yourself with as many opportunities as possible to enjoy activities which are fun, and make a conscious decision to link in with supportive people in your own life.
It is important to maintain social networks as stress and exhaustion can lead to limiting social contacts and to you becoming more solitary.
Positive contact is especially necessary when engaged in this work.
Maintain a balance by taking part in activities that give you joy and pleasure.
For more detailed strategies for self care for interpreters in situations of sexual violence and trauma please refer to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre Handbook: Interpreting in situations of sexual violence and trauma