Who cares for the carers?

Clare spent yesterday in bed quietly recovering from a bout of food poisoning, so once her needs were taken care of, I went down to St John's and helped out with washing up in the tea-room for the second day running as part of the effort to raise funds for USPG - the church's annual Summer Fayre. As it was such a pleasant day the flow of visitors into church was thinner than usual, but the tea room stayed open later and benefited from the arrival of people seeking out tea and cake right up to closing time. It was good just be be there and enjoy the  welcome, the conversations and good company of church members. I still feel I belong there, although no longer Vicar. It's part of belonging, being at home in Cardiff, for me.

We watched a repeat episode of Wallander on TV in the evening, one I hadn't seen before, about a disappearance and the suicide of a high school teenager. The story was, as ever, carefully drawn and understated but disturbingly credible, revolving around the activity of a paedophile school counsellor. The story was tragic, but the story behind the film was equally tragic. The actress playing the daughter of Wallander committed suicide shortly after its completion. The subject matter had deeply disturbed her and re-awakened unhealed memories from her past which she was unable to deal with. 

With the contemporary no-holds-barred realism of Radio and TV drama and documentary programmes these days, broadcasts are often followed by a statement like: 'If you have been affected by any of the issues portrayed in this programme call this number...' It's a recognition of the potential impact that open consideration of real life issues can have on vulnerable people. It's a 'duty of care' performed by broadcasters, the equivalent of the health warning on the side of a cigarette packet or alcohol bottle. That the actors and producers of programmes may also be affected by the material they handle can be easily overlooked. 

Therapists and priests working with those who have suffered terrible violence or abuse can also be deeply affected by the experiences they learn about, to the point where the defences formed by their professional training can be undermined, and take them to a place where it's hard for collagues to reach them with support. It's such difficult work that case loads generally exceed the supply of  workers experienced enough to cope with them, putting excess pressure on them, leading to burn out and breakdown. In a world where violence, exploitation and injustice seem to know no limits, those in any profession that concerns itself with human beings in their relationships with each other may find their conviction, compassion and fortitude challenged to the core. How is it possible to cope without a measure faith in what is beyond our meagre selves?