ABSTRACT
The requirement for supervision to have a clearly defined therapeutic function is outlined in the introductory chapter by identifying current impacts on human service work. These include worldwide issues such as climate change and the global pandemic, rising levels of stress, anxiety, and depression impacting the wellbeing of individuals and communities. Human service workers are also not personally immune to these increasing complexities, experiencing their own impacts, as well as professionally working with the implications of these societal issues. The point is also made that limited resources for mental health support mean more human service workers are trying to support people struggling with mental health impacts. The professional and personal consequences for workers can include emotional labour, stress, distress, acute and chronic trauma, acute Stress Disorder, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, compassion fatigue, Secondary Traumatic Stress and Vicarious Trauma. Descriptions are provided of each of these impacts, including a contention that the term compassion fatigue be re-examined and the concept of empathy fatigue be considered. The importance of understanding and applying the therapeutic function in supervision is made. The chapters are then summarised which outline the structure of the book.
