Category Archives: Secondary Traumatic Stress

Rethinking Post-Incident Support

The case for moving from mandatory group debriefing to Psychological First Aid

This white paper offers practical guidance for organizations seeking to create evidence-informed post-incident support systems that protect staff autonomy, reduce unnecessary trauma exposure, and foster recovery.

August 2026

Tips for Managing Media Use

Strategies to Reduce Indirect Trauma Exposure

Tips and strategies for managing media use to reduce indirect trauma exposure.

December 2025

Best Practices for Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress

Principles for Individuals & Organizations

Published by the STS Consortium in 2024, these principles offer best practices for addressing secondary traumatic stress for both individuals and organizations.

November 2025

What is Secondary Traumatic Stress?

WHAT IS Secondary Traumatic Stress Overview Signs of STS Strategies Resources At a Glance Secondary traumatic stress (STS) is the experience of being negatively impacted by the suffering of others. It can happen after indirect trauma exposure. This is when we hear, read, or see disturbing content involving others, including humans or animals. Anyone can be impacted by STS. However, it is more common in roles that involve supporting or caring for others (child protection workers, animal care professionals, healthcare and legal staff, etc.) STS can show up as trouble sleeping, feeling on edge, or having upsetting thoughts that are [...]

November 2025

Low Impact Debriefing Postcard

A free, downloadable resource

This downloadable PDF outlines different types of debriefing and provides an overview of the four steps of Low Impact Debriefing.

April 2025

Screeners for Health & Behavioral Health Professionals

Screening for STS, moral distress, stress, burnout, compassion satisfaction, & self-compassion

Screeners for health and behavioral health professionals to self-identify areas that may be an issue for them including secondary traumatic stress, moral distress, stress, burnout, compassion satisfaction, and self-compassion.

August 2023

The Secondary Traumatic Stress Informed Organization Assessment (STSI-­OA)

Assessment Tool for Organizations

The STSI-OA is an assessment tool that can be used to evaluate the degree to which an organization is secondary traumatic stress informed.

April 2023

The Professional Quality of Life Measure (ProQOL)

Self-Test for Compassion Satisfaction, Burnout, & Compassion Fatigue

The Professional Quality of Life Measure (ProQOL) is a free 30 question self-assessment test designed by Dr. Beth Stamm to evaluate burnout, compassion fatigue, and compassion satisfaction.

April 2023

Contributing Factors

Identifying Work-Related Stress

This model can help you to identify sources of work-related stress that may lead to burnout, secondary traumatic stress, empathic strain, or moral distress.

February 2023

Reducing Secondary Traumatic Stress

Skills for Sustaining a Career in the Helping Professions

In this book, Dr. Brian MIller offers evidence-informed skills and strategies to regulate distressing emotions and to foster increased empathy for those suffering from trauma.

December 2022

Help for the Helper

Preventing Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma in an Ever-Changing World

In this book. Babette Rothschild examines the literature to explain how therapists suffer from an excess of empathy for their clients and presents strategies for dealing with burnout and stress.

December 2022

Coming Home to Secondary Traumatic Stress

The Impact of Trauma-Exposed Work On Our Loved Ones

In this article, Françoise Mathieu reflects on the impact of secondary traumatic stress on our loved ones and the importance of transitions for those who work in trauma-exposed professions.

March 2022

A Shift in Perspective

Why It’s Time to Stop Using Compassion Fatigue

Experts in the fields of secondary trauma and empathic strain bring clarity to the current state of terminology and discuss why the term "compassion fatigue" should be replaced by "empathic strain."

June 2021

Maintaining Balance

Self-Care, Resiliency, and Ethical Service Delivery

Françoise Mathieu shares her thoughts about self-care as an "ethical duty" for those working in high-trauma workplaces in this series presented by by the Southern Regional Children’s Advocacy Center.

July 2020

Trauma Stewardship

An Everyday Guide to Caring for Self While Caring for Others

In this book. Laura van Dernoot Lipsky offers simple practices to develop mindful presence while working in a helping profession.

April 2020

Breathe, Reset, Refuel. Rinse, Repeat.

How Much Self-Care is "Enough?"

I have been thinking a lot about energy and pacing lately. More specifically, I have been reflecting on the fuel that we put in our tanks with the aim to do our best at work, to care for our loved ones and to get a few (or many) of the grown-up things off our list. I don’t know about you, but I think that, although being an adult has many perks – like eating what we want, when we want (toast for dinner! Popcorn for breakfast!) and going to bed early or staying up too late to watch our favourite [...]

January 2019

Resilience, Balance & Meaning

Supporting Our Lives and Our Work in High Stress, Trauma-Exposed Workplaces

In this workbook, Dr. Patricia Fisher provides practical tools to address the effects of workplace stress, burnout, and trauma and offers a framework to creating a personal wellness plan.

September 2016

The Body Keeps the Score

Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma

In this book, Dr. Bessel van der Kolk explains how trauma reshapes both body and brain and how it can compromise the capacity for pleasure, engagement, self-control, and trust.

September 2015

First Responder Mental Health

Compassion Fatigue Education for Paramedics

Françoise Mathieu discusses post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), compassion fatigue, burnout, and complex stress as it relates to first responder mental health.

April 2015

Beyond Kale and Pedicures

Can We Beat Burnout & Compassion Fatigue?

There is a growing frustration at working in a system that feels broken - and no amount of kale and yoga can fix that overnight.

April 2015

The Compassion Fatigue Workbook

Creative Tools for Transforming Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Traumatization

In this workbook, Françoise Mathieu provides strategies and activities to identify and transform compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization.

January 2012

Transforming the Pain

A Workbook On Vicarious Traumatization

In this book, Dr. Saakvitne and Dr. Pearlman provide self-assessment tools, guidelines and activities for addressing vicarious traumatization.

January 1996