Vicarious trauma & secondary traumatic stress

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) describes secondary traumatic stress as the emotional duress that comes from hearing about another person’s firsthand trauma.

It can look a lot like a trauma reaction: being on edge, avoiding reminders, or images from a client’s story popping into your mind. It can follow even one hard exposure.

The term was introduced by psychologists McCann and Pearlman in 1990, from their work with therapists of trauma survivors.

Vicarious trauma is less about sudden stress reactions and more about quiet shifts in your inner world. It builds up from caring deeply, over and over, about people who have been hurt.

The U.S. Office for Victims of Crime calls it an occupational challenge for people in victim services, law enforcement, emergency services and related fields.

Compassion fatigue is a term often used interchangeably with secondary traumatic stress. Burnout is different: it comes from general work stress, like workload and lack of control, rather than from trauma exposure itself.

Therapists working with traumatized people were the first group studied. Risk rises with the share of trauma survivors on your caseload.

Child welfare workers sit at the higher end of reported risk. They may see the effects of abuse directly, not just hear about them.

Case managers and others who work with traumatized children and families face this risk too.

A review of research on telephone crisis workers found signs of vicarious trauma, stress and burnout, though the studies were few.

The Office for Victims of Crime notes that exposure can come from listening to accounts, reviewing case files or responding to mass violence.

Vicarious trauma is also recognized in emergency medical services, fire services and law enforcement.

You might check locks more, worry when your child is out, or picture worst cases in ordinary situations. Excess worry about danger to yourself and others is a recognized sign.

After hearing many stories of betrayal, you may start to doubt new people, or feel suspicious of neighbours, coaches or relatives.

Noticing this shift is the first step. Spending time with people you trust can help balance what you hear at work.

Some helpers grow cynical about people. Others turn it inward and feel they are never doing enough. Anger and cynicism are common signs of secondary stress.

Strained relationships and pulling away from loved ones are listed among the effects of vicarious trauma. Some people find closeness or touch harder for a while.

Seeing how little control clients had over what happened to them can leave you feeling helpless, or push you to over-plan and over-protect.

Hopelessness and loss of meaning are recognized warning signs.

In a meta-analysis of 38 studies, the volume, frequency and share of trauma cases on a caseload were each linked with more secondary traumatic stress.

Constant, intense exposure with little variety in tasks is a recognized risk.

Being new to the job and lacking training or supervision raise the risk. Longer experience appears to protect against it.

Social isolation on or off the job, and having no safe way to talk through hard material, both raise risk.

Tending to avoid feelings, withdraw or blame others, and finding it hard to express feelings, are listed as risk factors.

Support at work and social support in your life were both linked with less secondary traumatic stress. Social support had the strongest protective link in that review.

Using evidence-based practices in your work is also linked with lower risk.

Unresolved personal trauma is one of the factors that raises risk. Knowing which themes stir you up lets you plan for them.

• Bring these themes to supervision before they pile up
• Notice body signals: a tight chest, holding your breath, feeling far away
• Plan a little extra recovery time after these sessions

Supervision is about your work. Your own therapy is about you. Both have a place.

Peer support work is built on the value of lived experience. With support and boundaries, your story can help others.

Creating a balanced caseload and using flexible scheduling are recommended prevention steps.

• Ask whether intake or the hardest cases can be shared around
• Spread the heaviest sessions across the week
• Mix trauma work with training, admin or group work

Reflective supervision pays attention to the emotional content of the work and to how your reactions affect your work with clients. It gives a regular place to notice early signs of secondary stress.

The Office for Victims of Crime encourages supervisors to discuss vicarious trauma openly in supervision.

Consistent transitions from work to home are a recognized way to manage traumatic material.

• Change clothes when you get home
• Take a short walk or play one song before you go inside
• Write down what’s on your mind and close the notebook

A self-care accountability buddy system and workplace self-care groups are listed as prevention steps.

Protected downtime and reflective practices such as writing or meditation are recommended.

Proper rest, nutrition, exercise and stress-reduction activities are part of preventing secondary traumatic stress.

Supervisors can discuss vicarious trauma in supervision, offer space for reflection, protect downtime while watching for withdrawal, and refer staff to professional help when needed.

• Ask “How are you doing with that case?” and really listen
• Keep the details light in break rooms — not everyone needs to hear them
• Offer to cover a task after someone’s hard session
• Notice if a colleague goes quiet or pulls away

Support at work is linked with less secondary traumatic stress.

Helpers often can’t share what they hear, and shouldn’t have to. You can still offer company, rest and a sense that home is a safe place.

Connections with family and friends are part of what protects helpers.

The Office for Victims of Crime describes vicarious resilience and vicarious transformation as newer ideas that reflect the positive effects of this work. Helpers may draw strength from a survivor’s resilience.

Compassion satisfaction includes good relationships with colleagues and the sense that your work matters to clients and society.

A sense of meaning in the work can protect against the negative effects of trauma exposure.

• End the week by naming one moment of client strength you witnessed
• Share a small win in team meetings
• Keep a note of thank-yous and turning points

Free, confidential support 24/7 for anyone in emotional distress, including helpers. You can also chat at 988lifeline.org.

Free, confidential support by text, 24/7, from trained volunteer Crisis Counselors.

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