“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” Audre Lorde

I came to understand secondary/vicarious trauma stress in my career as a Public Interest Attorney. I went to law school to pursue a career in social justice and my work often requires me to listen to and speak about individual and societal trauma. As someone who is deeply committed to the work that I do and plan to do for a very long time, I researched resources on how to handle the heaviness that my work sometimes brings. Secondary trauma refers to the indirect trauma that can occur when we are exposed to difficult or disturbing images and stories second-hand. It can manifest in a number of ways such as: burn-out, compassion fatigue and feeling overwhelmed. It is very important to practice self-care in doing this work and in difficult times that our county and world are facing.

Currently, we are experiencing collective indirect and direct trauma as world citizens. There is a global pandemic that has sadly claimed the lives of hundreds of thousands of people. Our daily lives and routines have been upended. Unemployment rates skyrocketed and frankly, many of us are afraid. In the midst of the pandemic, we are bearing witness to the horrors of systemic racism that recently claimed the lives of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor. We are tired. We are angry. We are hurt. We are frustrated. Plus. . .

we have a lot of work to do, and we (collective) need to do the work. It’s is not going to be a quick fix and will involve undoing injustices as we reimagine, rebuild, and restructure to create a better tomorrow. Whatever it is that each of us decides to do going forward, remember to take care of yourself in the process. For us to be effective advocates for change in the long-term, we MUST proactively and regularly take care of ourselves. Here are a few practices that I have implemented in practicing self-care in the face of trauma:

1. Develop personal boundaries regarding social media and the news. Being bombarded by the news and posts on social media can take a toll on your mental health.

2. Feed your spirit - pray, meditate, practice gratitude

3. Take care of yourself physically. For me, this includes eating healthier (I drink a smoothie packed with greens and fruits every morning); exercising, and getting at least 7 hours of sleep at night.

4. Reach out to your “nearests and dearests,” - your people, your community. Reach out to the people who see you, support you, and give you space to share your truth without judgment.

5. Carve out time with friends and family where you do not discuss the news or current events. While I do think it’s beneficial to talk to your loved ones about our world, I also think it’s important to spend time with the people you love focusing on other things.

6. Develop a weekly self-care routine. I enjoy my #selfcaresundays (sometimes Saturdays). I usually take this time to listen to my favorite songs, sing and pamper myself.

7. Cultivate Joy. SCHEDULE time to engage in the activities that make you laugh and bring you joy.

Remember, even the strongest fighters need time to take a breath.

Cheers,
Nika