Witnessing with Care: Insights for Secondary Trauma

Trauma is often imagined as something that happens directly, to the person experiencing it firsthand. But trauma does not exist solely in proximity to harm. Those who witness profound suffering of others, can carry a deep, embodied impact. This is often referred to as secondary trauma, and when the threat or suffering is ongoing, it becomes a form of active trauma. Even when physically removed from danger, the body knows. The nervous system senses threat and grief, registering experiences as if they were happening here and now. From a sensorimotor psychotherapy perspective, trauma is stored not just in memory or thought but in the body itself. Tension, tightness, shallow breathing, fatigue, and waves of grief or anger are all ways the body signals that it is responding to the trauma.

Secondary trauma is particularly complex because it is intertwined with empathy, care, and connection. Witnessing harm that touches identity, memory, or personal history can make the nervous system hyper-vigilant, even when the danger is not immediate. People often describe feeling “on edge” or emotionally numb, struggling to concentrate, or experiencing a sense of disconnection from their own lives. There may be guilt for having moments of safety, or shame for not being able to do more. These reactions are not weakness or failure. They are biological responses to extraordinary stress.

How the Body Reacts

From the sensorimotor psychotherapy perspective, the body responds first and fastest. Before the mind has time to process, the nervous system may:

• Brace or tighten muscles in the chest, shoulders, or jaw

• Shorten or hold the breath

• Shift between numbness and waves of intense emotion

• Make sleep fractured, concentration difficult, or daily life feel unreal

• Feel heavy, restless, or disconnected from the present moment

These responses are meaningful. They indicate the body’s attempt to survive, to stay alert, and to hold what the heart knows is happening. When the stress is ongoing, the nervous system has little chance to rest, which can amplify anxiety, hypervigilance, and emotional exhaustion.

Sensorimotor Tools for Staying Present

In ongoing trauma, the goal is not to erase pain or “fix” emotions. The goal is to support the nervous system, helping the body stay present and intact. Sensorimotor psychotherapy emphasizes working with the body to regulate, rather than bypass, emotional experience.

Here are some body-based approaches:

1. Notice what the body holds: Start by simply observing where tension, heaviness, or discomfort lives. This is not about changing it but about creating awareness. Naming sensation internally :“my shoulders are tight,” “my chest feels heavy”, can provide a small pocket of choice and presence.

2. Follow the breath with curiosity: Notice where the breath moves freely, and where it hesitates. Do not force deep breathing; simply tracking it gently can help the nervous system regulate.

3. Ground through contact: Feet on the floor, back against a chair, or a hand on the chest or belly communicates safety to the body. Even small gestures can signal that the body is supported.

4. Micro-movements: Pressing feet into the ground, slowly stretching, or subtle swaying may help discharge energy held in the body from prolonged vigilance or grief.

5. Pendulation: Move attention gently between areas of heaviness or distress and areas that feel neutral or steady. This builds tolerance for intense sensations without becoming overwhelmed.

6. Set boundaries around exposure: This is about protecting the nervous system to become centred. You cannot help others effectively if your body is overwhelmed and not centred.

7. Lower the bar: In ongoing trauma, surviving the day: breathing, staying connected, noticing sensations, is a form of care. You do not need to perform or “manage” the trauma. Presence itself is enough.

Why This Matters

Secondary trauma is real and embodied. Feeling shaken, exhausted, or different from yourself is expected and valid. The nervous system is carrying what the mind cannot fully process. Self-care, in this context, is not indulgent; it is essential for endurance, resilience, and survival. Witnessing other's trauma is heavy. But through sensorimotor-informed practices, you may stay present in your body, honor what you feel, and support your nervous system while the stress continues.

If your body feels unfamiliar, tense, restless, heavy, or numb, that is understandable. You are responding to something real, ongoing, and profoundly meaningful. Going gently with yourself, noticing what your body holds, and giving yourself permission to pause are not weaknesses, they are acts of care, resilience, and courage.

Surviving, feeling, and staying present is enough. You do not need to carry everything alone.

This article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as therapeutic advice or a substitute for professional counselling, diagnosis, or treatment.