Witnessing Others’ Stories: Understanding and Addressing Vicarious Trauma

Photo by @kellysikkema

We are impacted not just by what we do, but by what we witness.

Vicarious trauma occurs for clinicians, social workers, and emergency staff, and it also includes people in human-centred fields who regularly engage with others’ stories, whether it be designers, researchers, community workers, civic leaders, or healthcare staff.

Vicarious trauma happens when repeated exposure to others’ experiences of hardship, suffering, or trauma changes the way we think, feel, and respond. Over time, despite our passion for the work, it can manifest as emotional fatigue, tension, disconnection, or burnout.

What research says:

• The Government of Canada notes that second‑hand exposure to violence and trauma can produce effects comparable to direct trauma, such as anxiety, emotional exhaustion, sleep disturbances, and intrusive thoughts.

• According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, "secondary traumatic stress" is a common occupational hazard among caregivers and child‑serving professionals who are repeatedly exposed to others’ traumatic stories.

• A 2020 systematic review of child‑welfare and protection professionals (Molnar, et al.) documented that vicarious trauma can lead to a wide range of consequences, including mental, physical, work‑related, and social impacts, which may compromise decision‑making, collaboration, and research integrity.

How Vicarious Trauma Manifests:

You might notice:

• Heightened stress or anxiety after sessions

• Emotional exhaustion or disconnection from your work

• Reduced focus, decision-making, or creativity

• Physical symptoms like tension, fatigue, or disrupted sleep

• Difficulty separating your own experiences from the stories you witness

How You Can Address Vicarious Trauma:

Vicarious trauma doesn’t have to be an unavoidable cost of human-centred work. There are multiple strategies to support your nervous system, emotional resilience, and professional effectiveness:

1. Trauma-Informed Design and Research Training
   Structured programs, like Cocoro Colab’s workshops, provide tools to recognize when your nervous system is stressed, manage emotional overload, and engage ethically with participants.

2. Personal Therapy
   Working with a licensed psychotherapist or counsellor gives a safe space to process emotional load, gain perspective, and prevent cumulative stress from turning into burnout.

3. Peer Support and Reflection Groups
   Joining reflective communities or peer supervision circles allows sharing experiences, normalizing stress responses, and learning strategies from colleagues facing similar challenges.

4. Organizational Awareness and Advocacy
   Encourage your team or organization to acknowledge the emotional weight of the work. Practices like debriefs after challenging sessions, structured breaks, and realistic workloads can reduce collective strain.

5. Self-Care and Recovery Practices
   Regularly schedule activities that replenish energy and mental focus. This could include mindful walks, journaling, movement practices, or any personal routines that help you recharge.

6. Setting Boundaries in Your Work
   Recognize your limits and create professional safeguards. This can mean managing the number of emotionally heavy sessions in a row, defining clear engagement expectations with participants, and knowing when to pause or step back.
   

Call to Action

Addressing and training for vicarious trauma protects both your well-being and the quality of your work.

You don’t have to carry the emotional load alone. Support, skills, and awareness make sustainable human-centred work possible.

If you want structured support for navigating heavy sessions, join the waitlist for our upcoming workshop (date TBD: possibly January). Seats are intentionally limited to create a safe, reflective learning space.