Care for the Caring: Building Resilience Against Cumulative Stress and Vicarious Trauma

Helping others can be deeply meaningful and emotionally demanding. Over time, exposure to stressful experiences can have consequences for our health and wellbeing. This one-hour session supports employees in caring and caregiving roles, by offering practical strategies to stay grounded, healthy, and resilient. Participants learn how to recognize early warning signs, of cumulative stress and vicarious trauma, and apply practical strategies to regulate, recover, and reconnect with their purpose in sustainable ways.By the end of this session, participants will be able to:• Explain the cost of caring, including how exposure to distress affects wellbeing.• Identify signs of cumulative stress and vicarious trauma common in high-exposure roles.• Use practical, evidence-informed strategies to cope effectively with cumulative stress and protect emotional and psychological resilience.• Apply simple recovery and self-regulation practices to manage stress in real time and support long-term wellbeing.• Take action to strengthen resilience and create healthier habits to care for the caring.