Trauma Stewardship: Caring Without Losing Yourself
The stories we hold can affect us. Trauma stewardship invites us to notice that impact and build a more supported way of caring.
A session ends. The paperwork gets finished. You move into the next part of your day. Still, something from the conversation may stay with you. For counsellors and other helping professionals, it is worth asking what happens to the experiences we witness—and where we can bring our own responses.
Trauma stewardship is an approach developed by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky and explored with Connie Burk in their book, Trauma Stewardship. It invites ongoing attention to how we are affected by exposure to suffering and how we continue to care with intention and support.
Notice the impact with curiosity
Secondary traumatic stress refers to trauma-related reactions that can arise through indirect exposure. Vicarious trauma describes changes in a helper’s worldview associated with this work. These experiences can overlap, but they are not simply interchangeable with burnout.
A useful starting point is to notice what has changed for you. Are you finding it harder to leave work behind? Has your view of other people become more guarded? Are you feeling unusually responsible for outcomes you cannot fully control? These are invitations to reflection and support, rather than conclusions about a diagnosis.
Ask what belongs to you
Caring can become complicated when commitment is accompanied by a feeling that we must prevent every harm or find the answer to every problem. We can examine that pressure with compassion. What is within my role? What requires consultation? What belongs to the wider team or system? What is beyond what any one person can provide?
Clear responsibilities and boundaries can make care more sustainable. So can having someone who will help us think when urgency makes our options feel narrow. In supervision, there should be space to discuss how the work is affecting us alongside our responsibilities to clients.
Build support into the work
A short transition between sessions might offer a chance to notice what you need: water, movement, a moment of quiet, or a consultation. When discussing clinical material, protect client confidentiality and share only what is appropriate within authorized professional relationships. Support does not require repeatedly retelling graphic details.
Organizations have responsibilities here too. Caseload expectations, staffing, time for documentation, access to supervision, and how concerns are received all deserve attention. Personal practices need to be accompanied by workable conditions.
Consider one question this week: What am I carrying that would be better held with support? The answer may point toward a conversation, a change in workload, or personal care. If the impact is persistent or interfering with your life or practice, seek professional support and review what needs to change.
My clinical supervision work makes room for the impact of caring. Visit paulineobrienrp.com to explore supervision and consultation.