The Hidden Cost of Caring: Understanding Vicarious Trauma

Helping others is incredibly rewarding, but it can also be really tough. When professionals are constantly exposed to other people's trauma, it takes a heavy toll. This isn't just regular stress, but called vicarious trauma.

If you or someone you know works in a helping profession, here is a quick guide to understanding what vicarious trauma is, how to spot it, and what to do about it.

What Is Vicarious Trauma?

Vicarious trauma, first identified by McCann and Pearlman (1990), happens when hearing about or witnessing other people's traumatic experiences and how it changes how you see the world. It isn’t just feeling sad for a client; it’s a deep, lasting shift. People experiencing it might start to feel like the world is fundamentally unsafe, lose trust in others, or feel a loss of control.




Who Is at Risk?

People at risk include anyone who connects with and helps trauma survivors. This usually includes:

  • Mental Health Professionals: Therapists, counselors, and social workers.

  • Healthcare Workers: Doctors, nurses, and paramedics.

  • First Responders: Police officers and firefighters.

  • Legal Professionals & Child Welfare Workers.




Burnout vs. Vicarious Trauma: What’s the Difference?

Burnout and vicarious trauma may seem similar, but they are different:

  • Burnout is when you are physically and mentally exhausted from a stressful workplace (like working too many hours or not having enough support). It can happen at any job. Taking a vacation or changing jobs and finding a work life balance often helps fix it.

  • Vicarious Trauma is specifically caused by absorbing trauma. It changes your worldview.




What Are the Signs?

The signs of vicarious trauma can look a lot like PTSD. Keep an eye out for:

  • In your mind: You can't stop thinking about the trauma you've heard about, or you feel hopeless and cynical.

  • In your emotions: Feeling numb, easily angered, or finding it hard to feel empathy anymore.

  • In your behavior: Pulling away from friends and family, having trouble sleeping, or always feeling "on edge" and looking out for danger.

  • At work: Dreading your job, calling in sick more often, or avoiding certain tasks




How Does It Affect First Responders?

First responders face a huge risk because they are dealing with intense, real-life emergencies every single day. The trauma builds up over time. 

First responder culture often tells individuals to "be tough," making it difficult for them to admit they are struggling. This can lead to issues with decision making on the job, relationship problems at home, and higher rates of depression and substance use.




How Do You Prevent It?

It takes teamwork between the workplace and the individual to prevent vicarious trauma:

  • At Work: Workplaces need to be supportive. This means manageable workloads, regular check-ins with supervisors, and creating an environment where it's okay to talk about mental health.

  • At Home: It’s important to leave work at work. Having strong boundaries, keeping up with hobbies, and spending time with loved ones will help keep you grounded.

 

What Treatment Helps?

If you think you have been affected by vicarious trauma, professional help makes a huge difference.

  • Therapy: Treatments like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or EMDR are great for processing secondary trauma.

  • Peer Support: Talking it out with a specialized peer group or supervisor in a safe space.

  • Taking a Break: Stepping away from trauma-focused work for a bit to let your brain and nervous system reset.

Caring for people in crisis is essential work, but we have to make sure the people doing the caring are supported, too.

 

Need support? We’re here for you.

If you’re feeling the heavy weight of your work, you don’t have to carry it alone.

At The Grief & Trauma Healing Centre, we are dedicated to supporting the people who support our community. Whether you're dealing with vicarious trauma, burnout, or just need a safe space to talk it out, our team is ready to help.

Reach out to us today to book online, email us at info@healmyheart.ca or call us at 780-461-1717 to set up an appointment for counselling through in-person, online (video), or telephone.

References

McCann, I. L., & Pearlman, L. A. (1990). Vicarious traumatization: A framework for understanding the psychological effects of working with victims. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 3(1), 131-149.

Baird, K., & Kracen, A. C. (2006). Vicarious traumatization and secondary traumatic stress: A research synthesis. Clinical Psychology Review, 26(2), 181-188.

Figley, C. R. (1995). Compassion fatigue: Coping with secondary traumatic stress disorder in those who treat the traumatized. Routledge.

Newell, J. M., & MacNeil, G. A. (2010).Professional burnout, vicarious trauma... A review. Best Practices in Mental Health, 6(2), 57-68.

Tagan Trinhgrief, vicarious trauma, healing from grief