Drowning in Empathy: The Cost of Vicarious Trauma | Amy Cunningham | TEDxSanAntonio
Caregivers and emergency responders are empathetic individuals who risk suffering from Compassion Fatigue, a form of PTSD that is treatable using the steps described in Amy’s presentation.
Amy Cunningham has spent twelve years working with non-profits and mental health organizations, focused on assisting adolescents in overcoming
trauma and redefining their lives. In 2011, she developed the Compassion Fatigue training program for the Center for Health Care Services, Bexar County’s community mental health agency. She currently serves as a talent management consultant for CHRISTUS Health and leads a team dedicated to
the implementation and planning of all leadership development programs. Amy
pioneered the development of Compassion Fatigue training for CHRISTUS and
has had the honor of training over 3000 people across the nation.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx
44 Comments
@ Captain Ford : Thank you for writing this.
This was amazing. Thank you! The last part really touched me.
I'm going through this. God would never hold back secrets like this and treat me this way. I'm pained and saddened and confused
I don't know. Don't understand that
SO,I'm an only child, sensitive Empath,ICU RN x 22 years, w/elderly parents 2 teens,and, a broken beart.. Im still goi g, but my Soul is tired.
WOW..MASK HIT IT SPOT ON….TYTYTY
You may like to consider Help for the helper. Author Babette Rothschild
Compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma is so very real.
As Vita de Boheme said, "One drowning person can not save another." And in this modern world, not only are we all drowning, we are cooperating in our slow and horrible demise by actively seeking out the negativity in the world. We wrap it around ourselves like some perverse comforter; have you noticed how often the "news" feed to us by the media? "The Sad Ending of…", " You'll be shocked at how she looks now…", etc. It is bad enough that there is pain and suffering in the world, but we willingly, even eagerly consume it, gobbling it like gorging on popcorn while watching a movie. And all of this negativity eats away at us, like a slow, time release corrosive substance. Add that on top of the traumas that actually happen to us, well no wonder everyone is teetering on the edge of despair.
I need this!
Great talk, I appreciate you bridging this topic. In my mind, the real issue is that all of these non-profits and corporations take advantage of care workers. Setting boundaries and taking care of ourselves is great, but it only goes so far if our bosses don't care about our wellbeing. They are so busy trying to meet funding goals, compete with other organizations for money and clout, and fill the gaps left by our government, who refuses to create a real, robust safety net for people. Our burnout (and even that of our bosses) is a symptom of capitalism/oppression and a system that doesn't value life at its core. Our society loves no one, even the most rich and powerful, and those of us conditioned to be empathetic (particularly women) are suppose to pick up all the slack.
One thing that has compassion fatigue is working at an animal shelter. I had to leave, it was consuming me. I still can't drive past it, triggers still…
I started to hate people,.a lot…
Doctors have compassion ? Dont make me laugh.
Professionally curated and educational one, so helpful for mentors and all people working in the helping industry
Amazing!!!!! I have already shared this video!
Yes! I am in the "helping professions" and have felt myself change over the years, incrementally, certainly, definitely, and it makes me so sad, it's really taken so much life from me. I want to revert to the beautiful, joyful, confident, caring person I was before! I'm glad to have found some help.
Can't help but wonder what brand of grand piano that is on the stage.
They you drown in Empathy you need leave your job. Got a buddhist retreat riand learn empathy and compassion. There three intelligences. intelligence and emotional and spiritual trauma.
Im currently caring for my very elderly mother and my nephew, a victim of child abuse. I travel between them.
I dont exist anymore.
But the help is needed now. So I'm doing it now.
My nephew has had remarkable success with the sgb injection.
In the UK, the Pain Spa in Bristol. 2k a pop but oh my goodness me, how much better is he!?!
i found out about vicarious trauma today, just a few minutes ago. I knew the pain i was feeling for last 1 year, were not mine. now i know. thank you
I don’t think it’s wise for a therapist to have their phone in a therapy session when with a client.
Definitely do not pick it up if it vibrates as it tells the client they are not important as the therapist is not focused on them and more interested in their own affairs during the clients time.
One of your teacher and you don’t have time/ energy for 10?
I taught kindergarten. Much of the time I felt like I had nothing left to give.
It has kicked in suicidal thoughts to escape what I see and interpret everyday
I got secondary trauma from having politics shoved down my throat almost all my life.
Trauma Dumping. By EVERYONE and every media. SICK of it. I am one small brain. Keep your problems to yourself.
I love this! The presentation, delivery, and message are impactful. What a great job!
When she said that if you are in your job and it's fine and then later on, even though the circumstances have been changed. You feel that you don't have the resources. You need to succeed and you're under appreciated…. There's a third alternative that she did not explore, which is that maybe at first. You were overly optimistic that you had the tools needed. And maybe you thought you were appreciated. But more as time went on, you realized you were just being overly optimistic.
The thing is, the symptoms mentioned do not need “a name” or a condition derived from them. They are simply called emotions. Our emotions are guides. Guiding us throughout our lives, to do, what we need to do. “Burnout” or “PTSD stress” is (more than likely) what we choose to call the moments people have come to, and are unsure about the next move to make. I am an empath myself. I understand taking on the emotions of others. We empaths tend to allow others’ feelings to take front seat, to our own. Which leads to (what I like to call) “depletion”. The opposite of deplete is stregthen. When depletion happens, one should do whatever it is they feel they need, to strengthen. God gives his greatest battles, to his strongest warriors.
Hi It's me you're Aunt
How do you start to put yourself first. I’ve tried so hard and still nothing.
Awesome! I needed this 20 years ago… what a gift to those in the field now! Thank you! Listening to you talk about the oxygen masks felt like you were talking about me… Im glad to know there are others in the world who are this way.
You have to wrap your arms around the damage, pain caused and most importantly yourself. Embrace it all tightly and love everything youre holding onto in these "moments".
Then youll see the clear path to mending your being. The why, how and importance of being kind to yourself becomes clearer.
Two ads before you can watch the video and now two more ads inserted into the middle of it. Is there no end to the greed? Ruined this video.
No Compassion fatique does not do that to me cause things like this cant change you it reveals who you really are and where you are in your psychological makeup. You are who you are. Who makes this stuff up.
Very empowering message especially helpful for those of us that have the strong empath heart.
I am a social worker and I will never be salaried in this profession. I have to be hourly otherwise, I would pull 10-11 hour days every day. Since I am hourly, I am forced to go home even when the day is swamped. How I love strict budgets 🙂
Very helpful.
When I hear or read about other people’s traumas, I feel traumatized by their story
This is one way which being autistic actually helps. I am empathetic but I don’t have the same physical/emotional response. And when I see improvement n remember the improvement more than the stress.
This is so true, we need to take of ourselves before we can care for others! Thank you for video.
Time is a healer when it comes to vicarious trauma.
This is an old video but I got to say as a "helper" especially in this day and age is tough. Real tough!
This was so good!
August 18, 2025
Irene Ratliff