Breaking the Silence: Supporting Educators through Trauma Exposure
As I sat in my office that day, a 17-year-old student named George shared his dreams about competitive sports and managing his final year studies. What began as a conversation about time management evolved into something far more serious - the early signs of an eating disorder. That day changed both of our lives, leading to difficult decisions about my duty of care, parent involvement, and ultimately, a temporary fracture in our therapeutic alliance.
This story, like many others in education, left its mark. The feeling of betrayal, the questioning of decisions made, and the weight of responsibility stayed with me long after George left my office. As a counsellor with mandated clinical supervision, I was fortunate to have professional support to process these experiences. But what about our teachers? Who supports them through similar challenges?
The Hidden Impact of Secondary Trauma in Education
Every day, educators face stories of family violence, neglect, suicidal ideation, eating disorders, and various forms of trauma. These experiences don't simply fade away when the school bell rings. They leave remnants - persistent thoughts, emotional weight, and sometimes, deep personal impact.
Recent research by the Black Dog Institute (2023) and The Flourish Movement together with Deakin University (2024) has confirmed what many of us have long suspected: educators are significantly affected by secondary traumatic stress (STS). This recent ground-breaking study, conducted between August and October 2024, revealed a strong correlation between STS in educators and three critical risk factors:
Increased rumination
Declining mental health
Higher risk of leaving the profession
The research poses a crucial question: Are we doing enough to support those who support our students?
Understanding Secondary Traumatic Stress
Secondary traumatic stress occurs when professionals are indirectly exposed to trauma through the experiences of others. For educators, this might mean:
Hearing about a student's traumatic home situation
Supporting a child through grief or loss
Managing disclosures of abuse or self-harm
Witnessing the impact of poverty or neglect on students
These experiences accumulate over time, potentially leading to compassion fatigue, burnout, and emotional exhaustion. The impact isn't just professional - it's deeply personal, affecting sleep patterns, relationships, and overall wellbeing.
A New Approach: The Psychoemotional Strength Program (PSP)
In response to this growing need, I developed the Psychoemotional Strength Program (PSP), specifically designed for educators. Unlike traditional professional development, the PSP focuses on the emotional and psychological wellbeing of education professionals. It's:
Regular and preventative
Personalised to individual needs
Confidential and safe
Focused on building mental fitness and psychological flexibility
Facilitated by professionals who understand the educational context
The program draws on the proven model of clinical supervision while adapting it specifically for the education sector. It provides a safe space for educators to process challenging experiences, develop coping strategies, and maintain their emotional resilience.
The Power of Professional Support
Remember George? On his last day of Year 12, he returned to my office. Standing at my desk, he said, "I didn't like what you did. But I know why you had to do it." Those words validated the difficult decisions made in service of his wellbeing, but they also highlighted the complexity of my role, and educators’ roles.
This is why professional support is crucial. When educators have access to regular, qualified support, they're better equipped to:
Process challenging situations
Make confident decisions
Maintain professional boundaries
Preserve their own wellbeing
Continue making a positive impact on students' lives
This in turn flows into the classroom, positively impacting student behaviour.
Moving Forward: A Call to Action
The education sector must acknowledge and address the silent cost of secondary trauma. We need systematic, preventative approaches to support our educators' emotional wellbeing, not just their professional development.
The PSP represents one such approach - a structured, professional program that provides educators with the support they need to maintain their effectiveness and wellbeing in the face of challenging situations, which also relates to the AITSL standards. As we continue to expect our educators to be pillars of support for our students, we must ensure they too are supported. After all, their wellbeing directly impacts the quality of education and support they can provide to their students.
We must move beyond simply acknowledging the problem to implementing practical solutions. The research is clear - the cost of inaction is too high, for both our educators and the students they serve.
Through programs like the PSP, we can create a more sustainable and supportive educational environment - one where educators feel equipped to handle the emotional challenges of their role while maintaining their own wellbeing. Because when we support our educators, we're ultimately supporting our students and the wider school community.