RAISING AWARENESS about BURNOUT.

I write these words not as an expert looking down from a distance, but as someone who has lived the very struggles I describe.

“For more than two decades, I have walked alongside people in some of the darkest and most vulnerable moments of their lives. I have listened to stories of pain, loss, violence, and unimaginable trauma. I have prayed with survivors, cried with families, and stood with first responders in the aftermath of tragedy. And while this work has been sacred and meaningful, it has also come with a cost—one I did not fully understand until much later in my journey.”

( “Hope Renewed- Care for the Caregiver” By P. Stoneman)

For many years I have served in trauma support — from Chaplaincy with ESC (Emergency Services Chaplaincy), to establishing a Rape Crisis Centre, and later founding Trauma Support SA.

Over time, I have learned that the weight of trauma does not simply pass through us; it accumulates!

Burnout and compassion fatigue are not abstract concepts. They are MY lived EXPERIENCE & reality. They show up as exhaustion that no amount of sleep seems to cure. Emotional numbness, where I dont really want to help but must.

Days where I feel “OK” and days where I struggle to function mentally.

The symptoms can mirror those of secondary trauma, and together they create a cycle that can feel overwhelming.

What I have come to realize is that this is not a short term issue. It is the result of years of exposure, years of carrying stories of pain and crisis. Chronic burnout and compassion fatigue are the companions of those who serve in trauma work.

Naming them is the first step toward healing….

The challenge is not only personal. It is organizational. It also affects many different organizations. Yes, we must learn to trust our teams, to share the load, to create rhythms of rest and reflection. But, TRUST is usually the one construct eroded by burnout and compassionate fatigue/ vicarious trauma…Therefore, we must normalize conversations about the cost of caring, and equip volunteers and professionals alike with strategies for resilience.

Raising awareness matters. Because silence around burnout perpetuates harm.

By speaking openly, we acknowledge both the struggle and the possibility of recovery. We remind ourselves that caring for others must include caring for ourselves.

-By Philip Stoneman