Working in fields such as healthcare, social work, or emergency response often exposes professionals to the raw realities of trauma. While their focus is on providing support and care to those directly affected, the toll of bearing witness to suffering can manifest in the caregivers themselves. Here are ten practical tips for professionals navigating the complexities of secondhand trauma. 

Secondary trauma, otherwise known as vicarious trauma and second-hand PTSD, refers to a form of distress or trauma that's experienced indirectly by hearing details of or witnessing the aftermath of a traumatic experience by another person. Second hand trauma may be invisible, but its impact is real and far-reaching. 

Navigating the aftermath of sexual assault can be a daunting journey, laden with complex emotions and challenges. Yet, within the therapeutic setting, there exists a powerful toolkit designed to guide survivors toward healing and empowerment. Through a combination of compassionate support and evidence-based techniques, therapists play a pivotal role in helping survivors cope with the aftermath of trauma. 

Sexual assault is a harrowing experience that leaves deep emotional scars on its survivors. Among the myriad of emotions they grapple with, shame stands out as one of the most pervasive and debilitating. Shame, with its roots in societal perceptions and self-blame, adds layers of complexity to the already daunting process of recovery for survivors. 

In the often tumultuous aftermath of sexual assault, survivors grapple with a myriad of emotions, legal complexities, and societal stigmatization. However, amidst this turmoil, sexual assault advocates emerge as beacons of hope and support, offering guidance, empowerment, and unwavering compassion to those in need.

Marylanders woke up to the devastating news about the Key Bridge collapsing into the Patapsco River in Baltimore, MD this morning. This tragic event will have ripples of impact for some time to come.  If you live or work in the Greater Baltimore area, and you’ve been impacted directly or indirectly by today’s news, here are some strategies that you can use to cope and tend to your mental health. 

Marylanders woke up to the devastating news about the Key Bridge collapse this morning.  No doubt, this news has hit home for the people who live and work in the Greater Baltimore area.  Many are empathizing with those who have been directly impacted while also reflecting on just how many times they too have used this bridge. 

When tragedy strikes, we may find that we need supports and resources that we’ve never needed before. If that is you or someone you know, we’re including several local resources that you can use immediately for yourself or others who are grappling with the impact of this event. 

If you’re like many of the women I talk to, you believe that your body is broken because it’s doing some strange things that you just don’t understand. Perhaps the doctors don’t even understand and have told you that there’s nothing wrong with you. You, however, know your body, and you know that something isn’t right.  You may have even come to believe that YOU are broken!

Brainspotting is a form of therapy that is gaining popularity among mental health professionals. It is an innovative approach that uses eye positions to help people process and heal from emotional and psychological traumas. If you are considering this type of therapy, you may be wondering what to expect after your Brainspotting sessions. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the possible outcomes during or after Brainspotting therapy.

Brainspotting is a therapeutic approach that can help individuals process and heal from emotional and psychological traumas. Brainspotting intensives, which are extended and focused therapy sessions, offer clients a unique opportunity to delve deeper into their healing process. In this blog post, we'll explore some of the reasons why you should consider attending a Brainspotting intensive.

Depression is a common mental health condition that affects millions of people around the world. It can cause feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and a lack of energy and motivation, making it difficult to enjoy life and perform daily activities. While there are many different treatments available for depression, including medication and talk therapy, one newer approach is Brainspotting.

Nurses play a critical role in the healthcare system, providing essential care to patients and supporting doctors and other healthcare professionals. However, the job of being a nurse can be extremely demanding, both physically and mentally, which can lead to burnout, stress, and other mental health issues. In this blog, we will discuss some ways in which hospital systems can support the mental health of their nurses.

Nursing is a challenging and demanding profession that requires a high level of skill and commitment. Nurses are responsible for the care of patients, often in highly stressful and emotionally charged situations. While the focus is on the care of patients, it is important not to overlook the mental health challenges faced by nurses themselves. In this blog post, we will explore some of the mental health challenges faced by nurses and the impact they can have.

Brainspotting is a cutting edge brain and body based treatment modality that doesn’t require you to do a lot of talking. Despite the fact that Brainspotting was discovered almost 20 years ago, many people have still not heard about it. In this blog, we’ll be going over common questions that people have when they first learn about Brainspotting. Have questions? Let us answer them!

Every year, several organizations and programs dedicate time to bring awareness to certain topics, including mental health, substance use, stress management, and more. Over the course of the year, each organization and/or program brings awareness, reduces stigma, offers a variety of shareable resources, and hosts helpful events locally and nationally. If you’re looking to learn more about a particular topic, share helpful resources, and partake in local opportunities, be sure to mark your calendars with these important dates!

Our dedication to others makes us well-suited for positions within helping professions; whether you’re a fellow therapist, a medical provider, a first responder, a humanitarian aid worker, the ability to meet humans with unconditional positive regard and empathic understanding is key. Compassion fatigue, secondary trauma, and burnout can affect the best of caregivers.

Unresolved trauma may be a reason people seek out therapy. Trauma occurs when we experience an unexpected event that is threatening to our survival. Trauma impacts our brain, our nervous system, our body and the myriad ways these parts interact in order to regulate our whole selves.

There are biophysiological reasons for why this not knowing occurs. It is okay and your body is doing what it was designed to do. I will offer a very simplified explanation below as to what happens in the brain and body.

When someone has been impacted by a traumatic experience, they may begin to experience emotions, thoughts, physical sensations, and reactions that were not typical for them prior to the traumatic event.  As a result, people begin to believe that there is something wrong with them.  This is where I like to remind people that they are having normal responses to an unusual circumstance. 

“Can he/she just move on?” People sometimes get frustrated about their partner’s unforgiveness. They have to tiptoe around their partner, trying to avoid their raw spots. “Ever since then, she has become super sensitive about my interactions with other women on social media,” said someone who discussed his wife’s “overaction” after he entered into an affair years ago. 

The truth is, without genuine emotional connection between both parties, without corrective emotional response from the injured person, without actions that met the deep needs that have been ignored for so long,  “moving-on” would be extremely hard, if not impossible.

In wedding vows, we promise that we are going to “love”, “cherish”, “support, etc.” our partners through all the ups and downs. It might sound weird to promise “not to use violence” to our partners, probably because people rarely consider themselves capable of getting violent with their significant others.

Although we all dream of a peaceful home, we can shoot word bullets at our loved ones without even noticing. That's why it is crucial to begin by recognizing the bullets.