Understanding Secondary Trauma: Caring Without Breaking

When we talk about trauma, we usually focus on those who experience it firsthand. But what about the people who listen, support, and care for them? Whether you’re a therapist, healthcare worker, social worker, first responder, or even a friend or family member helping a loved one through a tough time, constantly witnessing pain can take its toll. This blog will go through everything related to Secondary Trauma.

Secondary Trauma – What’s It All About?

This situation’s called secondary trauma, also known as secondary traumatic stress or vicarious trauma (Figley, 1995). It happens when you absorb someone else’s distress, and over time, it starts to weigh on you, sometimes without you even realising it. Helping others can be deeply meaningful, but it can also be exhausting when there’s no space to process your emotions.

The Emotional Weight of Caring

Imagine carrying a backpack. At first, it’s light and manageable. But every time you listen to someone’s painful story, it’s like adding another rock inside. At first, you barely notice the weight. But the heaviness builds up after a while, making it harder and harder to move forward. That’s what secondary trauma does—it accumulates bit by bit until you feel drained, disconnected, or even hopeless (Acquadro Maran et al., 2023).

Many assume that only mental health professionals or emergency responders experience this, but anyone supporting a trauma survivor is at risk. Parents helping a struggling child, teachers working with students who’ve been through abuse, nurses caring for critically ill patients—anyone can carry the emotional weight of others’ pain (Hooper et al., 2010). Compassion comes at a cost if we don’t take care of ourselves.

Why Does Secondary Trauma Happen?

Our brains are wired for connection. When we witness suffering, our nervous system reacts, sometimes in ways similar to those who experience trauma firsthand. That’s why secondary trauma can lead to symptoms that mirror PTSD, like intrusive thoughts, emotional numbness, or avoidance behaviours (Bride et al., 2007). Some people withdraw from others, feeling emotionally drained. Others find their worldview shifting – they begin seeing the world as more dangerous or unfair (Pearlman & Saakvitne, 1995).

This emotional exhaustion spills over into all areas of life. Work that once felt fulfilling can start to feel overwhelming. Relationships become strained as patience wears thin. The joy and motivation that once came easily can fade, replaced by a constant sense of being overwhelmed yet unable to stop caring (PTSDUK, 2025).

How to Care Without Losing Yourself

While secondary trauma is very real, it doesn’t have to consume you. The first step is recognising that taking care of yourself is okay, too. Many helpers feel guilty for stepping back, but setting emotional boundaries isn’t selfish – it’s necessary (Pearlman & Saakvitne, 1995). You can support others without absorbing their pain as your own.

Having a safe space to process your emotions is essential. Talking to trusted colleagues, friends, or a therapist can help prevent emotional overload. Research highlights the importance of peer support and supervision in reducing burnout (Acquadro Maran et al., 2023).

Beyond that, engaging in activities that restore balance – exercise, journaling, creative expression, or simply spending time in nature – helps reset the nervous system (Hooper et al., 2010). Even small habits, like getting enough rest and eating well, can make a significant difference in managing stress and reducing secondary trauma within.

For those working in trauma-heavy fields, mental health support needs to be built into the system. Access to supervision, debriefing sessions, and training on managing secondary trauma can make a huge difference (Figley, 1995). It’s not just up to individuals – organisations must step up to protect those who dedicate their lives to helping others.

Final Thoughts

Recognising secondary trauma isn’t a sign of weakness – it’s a sign of self-awareness. Ignoring it won’t make it go away; it usually makes it worse—those individuals who dedicate their time and energy to helping others deserve support, too.

Conclusion

Self-care isn’t about turning away from the work – it’s about ensuring you can keep showing up without breaking under its weight. You can’t pour from an empty cup. Taking care of yourself isn’t selfish – it’s how you keep doing what you do without losing yourself.

If we want a world where trauma survivors are supported, we also need a world where those who care for them are protected, valued, and given the space to heal. Because in the end, those who help others deserve to be okay, too.

References: 

Acquadro Maran, D., Dolce, V., & Colombo, L. (2023). Editorial: Secondary traumatic stress: Risk factors, consequences, and coping strategies. Frontiers in Psychology, 14:1148186.

Bride, B. E., Robinson, M. M., Yegidis, B., & Figley, C. R. (2007). Development and validation of the Compassion Fatigue Scale. Traumatology, 13(2).

Figley, C. R. (1995). Compassion fatigue as secondary traumatic stress disorder: An insider’s look. In B. R. Stamm (Ed.), Secondary traumatic stress: Self-care issues for clinicians, researchers, and educators. Sidran Press.

Hooper, C., Craig, J., Janvrin, D. R., Wetsel, M. A., & Reimels, E. (2010). Compassion satisfaction, burnout, and compassion fatigue among emergency nurses compared with nurses in other selected inpatient specialities—Journal of Emergency Nursing, 36(5).

Pearlman, L. A., & Saakvitne, K. W. (1995). Traumatic stress and the professional helper: Vicarious traumatisation. W. W. Norton & Company.

PTSDUK (2025). Understanding Secondary Trauma: A Guide for Professionals. Retrieved from https://www.ptsduk.org/secondary-trauma/