Vicarious
Trauma Training
“‘I will absolutely recommend this training to others! This will impact the way I look at my team and how I conduct team meetings and supervisions to be more Trauma Informed”
Supporting the people who support others
Working with people who have experienced or are currently experiencing trauma can be deeply meaningful. It can also stay with you.
Listening to difficult stories, witnessing distress, or holding responsibility for others’ safety and wellbeing over time has an impact. Often this happens slowly, and many people don’t notice it straight away. The work continues, expectations remain high, and the effects are quietly carried alongside it all.
At heard LEARNING, we believe that caring for others should not come at the cost of your own wellbeing. Our Vicarious Trauma training supports professionals to understand how trauma exposure can affect them, recognise early signs of strain, and find ways to protect their capacity in a realistic and sustainable way.
This training is relevant for anyone working in emotionally demanding roles, including healthcare, education, social care, emergency services, charities, and community support. It offers space to pause, reflect, and reconnect with what you need, so the work remains safe and sustainable over time.
What This Training Explores
The Impact of Trauma on the Body and Nervous System
The training begins by looking at how trauma affects the nervous system, not just for the people being supported, but for those providing the support as well.
We explore how the body responds to stress, why some stories or situations linger, and how repeated exposure to distress can influence emotions, sleep, concentration and relationships. Understanding these responses helps people make sense of changes they may have noticed in themselves, rather than judging or dismissing them.
Understanding Vicarious Trauma
Vicarious trauma refers to the impact of being exposed to other people’s trauma over time. It does not require having direct personal experience of trauma. Simply hearing about, witnessing, or working closely with distressing material can change how people see the world, how safe it feels, and how they respond to others.
When left unacknowledged, this impact can contribute to burnout, emotional withdrawal or loss of empathy. The training supports participants to recognise these effects early and understand that they are a response to the work, not a personal failing.
Compassion Fatigue and Early Signs of Strain
Compassion fatigue often develops gradually. It can be difficult to spot, particularly in workplaces where pushing through is seen as part of the role or culture.
We explore what contributes to emotional exhaustion, including workload, responsibility and organisational pressure. Time is spent reflecting on early signs such as irritability, reduced empathy, avoidance or emotional disengagement, and how these differ from normal tiredness.
Recognising these signals early creates an opportunity for support, rather than waiting until people feel depleted or overwhelmed.
Protecting Capacity and Reducing Risk
The training focuses on practical strategies that fit into real working days. This includes thinking about boundaries, pacing emotional work, and having reflective conversations that allow difficult experiences to be processed rather than carried alone.
We also explore grounding and regulation strategies that can help after challenging interactions, and small adjustments that protect energy and focus over time. The emphasis is on what is realistic, not on perfection or unrealistic self-care expectations.
Looking After Yourself and Your Team
Self-care is often spoken about in simple terms, but meaningful care is about meeting needs consistently, not occasionally.
This part of the training explores sustainable approaches to wellbeing for individuals and teams. We consider how workplaces can support safety and openness, how to notice when a colleague may be struggling, and how connection and purpose can be restored during demanding periods of work.
The focus is on practices that support wellbeing over the long term, rather than short-term fixes.
Training Formats
Training is delivered in small groups to allow time for reflection and discussion. Sessions can take place in person or online and are available as half-day or full-day workshops.
Each session is shaped around the specific needs and context of your team, following a planning conversation to understand your roles, pressures and priorities.
Next Steps.
Supporting teams to understand vicarious trauma is an important part of safe and effective practice. This training creates space to understand impact, build awareness and strengthen wellbeing in ways that can be sustained.
Book a no-obligation call today
Get in touch to arrange a bespoke workshop for your team.
Let’s create environments where teenagers feel safe, understood and truly heard.
