What Secondary Trauma Looks Like and What to Do About It

Nia Eubanks-Dixon
Nov 6
4 min read

A picture of educators during a workshop — *Educators and youth workers can practice healing-centered strategies to create safe and supportive spaces for themselves.*

When we think about trauma, we often imagine those who directly experience harm. Yet trauma does not exist in isolation. For educators, youth workers, social service providers, and frontline professionals, being in constant proximity to others’ pain can take a deep toll. Listening to students’ stories of violence, supporting families through crisis, or witnessing systemic inequities day after day can leave lasting impacts on the body and mind. This experience is known as secondary trauma or vicarious trauma.

Recognizing and addressing it is not just about self-care; it is about sustainability, healing, and the ability to continue showing up fully for the communities we love. This guide will highlight the importance of secondary traumatic stress training.

What Is Secondary Trauma?

Secondary trauma occurs when someone absorbs the emotional weight of another person’s suffering. It is the echo of pain carried by those who help, teach, or advocate. Unlike burnout, which develops gradually from exhaustion and overwork, secondary trauma can appear suddenly after exposure to another’s traumatic experience.

Research shows that professionals who consistently engage with trauma survivors are at higher risk of developing symptoms that mirror post-traumatic stress. These symptoms may not be the result of one’s own lived experience, but they are real, painful, and disruptive nonetheless.

Secondary traumatic stress training helps professionals identify these patterns early, offering tools to mitigate harm and promote resilience.

Signs and Symptoms to Look For

The signs of secondary trauma can vary widely. Recognizing them early is critical for maintaining well-being. Here are common ways it shows up:

Emotional signs

Heightened anxiety, sadness, or irritability
Emotional numbness or difficulty feeling joy
Increased feelings of helplessness or hopelessness

Cognitive signs

Difficulty concentrating or making decisions
Intrusive thoughts or images related to others’ trauma
A persistent negative outlook about the world or people

Physical signs

Chronic fatigue or sleep disturbances
Headaches, stomachaches, or other unexplained health issues
Heightened startle response or tension in the body

Behavioral signs

Withdrawal from colleagues, friends, or family
Overworking as a way to avoid emotional pain
Loss of interest in hobbies or activities once enjoyed

When left unacknowledged, these symptoms can impact both personal life and professional practice. This is why secondary traumatic stress training is not optional; it is a necessary part of sustaining long-term commitment to care and liberation.

Why Educators and Youth Workers Are Especially Vulnerable

A picture of an educator during a workshop — *Build resilience and sustainability through secondary traumatic stress training that equips professionals with practical tools for reflection.*

Classrooms, after-school programs, and community centers are not free from trauma. Many young people carry experiences of violence, neglect, systemic racism, or poverty into these spaces. Educators and youth workers are often the ones who notice, listen, and respond. While their role is vital, it can also expose them repeatedly to stories of hardship.

Without proper tools, educators may internalize this pain. They may find themselves short-tempered with students, overly anxious about safety, or feeling powerless in the face of systemic inequities. Recognizing this risk is the first step toward healing. The next is intentional support, which is exactly what secondary traumatic stress training provides.

Tools and Care Strategies

With awareness and intentional practices, professionals can build resilience while continuing to support their communities. Here are some strategies that secondary traumatic stress training often includes:

1. Grounding Practices

Simple activities such as mindful breathing, stretching, or journaling can help regulate emotions and reconnect the body with the present moment.

2. Reflective Supervision and Peer Support

Having safe spaces to debrief with colleagues or supervisors helps reduce isolation and validates experiences. Peer support groups normalize the emotional impact of this work.

3. Healthy Boundaries

Clear boundaries, such as limiting after-hours communication or creating transition rituals between work and home, help contain the emotional weight of professional responsibilities.

4. Restorative Practices

Engaging in art, movement, spirituality, or cultural rituals provides outlets for release and restoration. These practices remind us that joy and healing are necessary, not optional.

5. Organizational Commitment

It is not enough for individuals to manage trauma on their own. Organizations must prioritize wellness policies, embed secondary traumatic stress training into professional development, and create cultures of care where staff are supported, not shamed, for their needs.

Reflection for Frontline Professionals

Ask yourself:

How does the trauma I encounter affect my emotions, body, and relationships?
What rituals or practices help me release stress?
Do I feel supported by my workplace, or do I carry this burden alone?

These reflections are not about guilt. They are reminders that to continue showing up for others, you must also show up for yourself.

Moving Toward Liberation

Secondary trauma is not a sign of weakness; it is a sign of humanity. Feeling deeply for the struggles of others means you care. But care without tools can lead to harm. By acknowledging secondary trauma and committing to healing-centered practices, educators and frontline professionals can continue their work without losing themselves in the process.

Liberation-centered spaces require more than resilience in students; they require resilience in the adults who guide them. Vicarious trauma support for professionals is a pathway to that resilience, ensuring that the people who nurture communities are also nurtured in return.

Take the Next Step Toward Healing-Centered Practice

A picture of a facilitator speaking — *Integrate practices of self-awareness and collective care to ensure the well-being of those on the frontlines of change.*

Healing the healers is essential work. At Creative Praxis, we know that the impact of trauma extends beyond those who directly experience it. Educators, youth workers, and frontline professionals deserve spaces to process, heal, and grow.

We offer secondary traumatic stress training that integrates art infusion, somatic practices, burnout prevention for educators, and vicarious trauma support for professionals to provide practical tools for both personal and organizational care.