The Wounded Healer: The Pain and Joy of Caregiving

Finding meaning in trauma work, as a traumatized healer yourself.

The act of caregiving is physically exhausting and emotionally draining, yet caregivers describe it as rewarding and gratifying. Prolonged exposure to human suffering, however, is not without risks, caregivers report high rates of burnout and poor quality of life.

Many care providers believe that their feelings do not matter; that they should ignore their pain, brush off their trauma, wipe away their tears, and just “suck it up...