Many of us are navigating heavy emotional terrain right now. Mental health challenges are rising not just because of personal hardship, but because we’re living through a time of deep uncertainty, political instability, and growing authoritarianism. That kind of chronic stress—combined with grief, fear, and moral distress—doesn’t stay outside the workplace. It walks in with us every day.

That’s why it matters that we talk about it. By naming what’s real, we help remove the stigma. By offering acknowledgment instead of avoidance, we help our teams feel seen. And by showing up as human beings first, we remind others it’s safe to do the same.

This guide is a small tool—but I hope it helps you hold a big truth: that care, conversation, and connection are essential leadership practices for creating spaces of belonging.

Thanks for leading with heart.

In solidarity + gratitude,

vicarious trauma

what it is

Vicarious trauma is an occupational challenge that comes from being exposed to the pain, trauma, and injustice experienced by others. It’s common among those in care- and service-based roles—humanitarian workers, healthcare providers, civil servants, educators, therapists, journalists, legal professionals, and more.

Unlike secondary traumatic stress which can happen through a single exposure, vicarious trauma is the result of ongoing exposure to other people’s pain and trauma—through hearing stories, seeing physical scars or bruises in person or in photographs, watching distressing videos. Over time, the repeated exposure begins to reshape how we see the world, how we trust, and how we feel in our own bodies. It can lead to emotional numbing, anxiety, anger, hopelessness, or a sense of being constantly on edge.

Vicarious trauma is not a personal failing. It’s an occupational hazard of caring deeply, which is often exacerbated by what we witness through social media.

why it’s important

We are living through a global polycrisis—political instability, war, displacement, climate catastrophe, authoritarianism, and structural collapse. For those on the frontlines of response, advocacy, or administration, the pain of others is not abstract—it’s right in front of us, every day.

And even for those not in direct service roles, the constant exposure to suffering through social media—videos of violence, stories of injustice, images of devastation—brings the trauma closer than ever before. What once may have been distant now feels intimate, immediate, and relentless. The scroll becomes a slow bleed of collective grief.

When we bear witness to that pain—digitally or directly—without adequate space, support, or recovery, it starts to take root in us. Add to that the grief, moral injury, and betrayal many of us are already carrying, and the emotional load becomes unsustainable.

Unacknowledged vicarious trauma leads to burnout, disengagement, disconnection, and despair. But when we name it, we reclaim our ability to respond with care and intention—both for others and for ourselves.

sample talking points for leaders

The talking points below are a starting point. Feel free to use what resonates and leave the rest and rework them to make them your own.

🗣️ Vicarious trauma isn’t just something that happens in extreme situations—it’s something many of us carry, especially in care- and service-based roles. It comes from being exposed, over and over, to other people’s pain, trauma, or injustice.

🗣️ If you’ve ever felt emotionally numb, anxious, angry, or deeply fatigued after hearing a hard story, watching a distressing video, or simply doing your job day after day—what you’re feeling might be vicarious trauma. And that’s not a weakness. It’s a human response to ongoing exposure to suffering.

🗣️ The difference between one-time stress and vicarious trauma is repetition. When we witness or absorb pain constantly—through our work, through our newsfeeds, through social media—it can start to reshape how we view the world and how safe we feel in it.

🗣️ We’re living through a global polycrisis. There is no clear recovery window between crises, and that makes it hard to rest, reset, or release what we’re holding. That’s why so many of us feel like we’re running on empty—emotionally and spiritually.

🗣️ Social media has made the world’s pain feel closer than ever. The stream of violence, injustice, and disaster doesn’t stop when the workday ends. The scroll has become a form of emotional labor—and it’s one that many of us don’t know how to disengage from.

🗣️ Vicarious trauma is not a personal flaw—it’s an occupational hazard of caring deeply in systems that often don’t care enough. And the solution isn’t just more individual resilience. It’s collective care, space to process, and permission to feel.

🗣️ We can’t fix everything we witness. But we can name what it’s doing to us. And in doing so, we reclaim some agency. We can begin to respond—not just react—with intention, compassion, and boundaries.

sample discussion prompts

Invite responses in a way that works best for your team—anonymously, in 1:1s, or in small group discussions depending on your team's readiness.

💬 In what ways has ongoing exposure to others’ pain—whether through work or through what you witness online—impacted how you feel, think, or show up lately? What helps you come back to yourself when it gets heavy?

💬 What would a more supportive culture around emotional processing look like in our workplace—especially for those holding space for others’ trauma or navigating difficult content regularly?

additional resources + information

• Roots in the Clouds – rooted + resilient — a toolkit for sustainable service
  www.rootsintheclouds.com
• Headington Institute – Vicarious Trauma Toolkit for Humanitarian Workers
  www.headington-institute.org
• Arizona Institute for Resilience—A Burnout and Vicarious Trauma Toolkit
  https://air.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/2023-02/DEIJ_vicarious-trauma-toolkit.pdf