Book SummaryTrauma Stewardship, by Laura van Dernoot Lipsky

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Trauma Stewardship

In Trauma Stewardship, Laura van Dernoot Lipsky provides a guide on how to care for others who have gone through trauma by learning to care for ourselves—a practice she calls trauma stewardship. Trauma, loss, and suffering are unfortunate, everyday realities: Disadvantaged people struggle to meet basic living needs, natural disasters damage homes, and habitat loss threatens the survival of endangered species. While the effects of trauma are damaging to those who directly suffer from it, there's another group at risk: the caregivers who witness and tend to the trauma of others.

Lipsky argues that to be fully present and emotionally available to people who are suffering, we must acknowledge and address the impact that secondary trauma (the harm we experience when exposed to others’ trauma) has on us and our ability to help others. Lipsky's trauma stewardship framework covers how to manage secondary trauma and support yourself so you can support others to your fullest...

Trauma Stewardship Summary What Are Trauma Stewardship and Secondary Trauma?

According to Lipsky, practicing trauma stewardship means tending to your own needs and emotions so that you can fully and compassionately help others who are suffering. To practice trauma stewardship, we must recognize that trauma takes a mental, physical, and emotional toll on caregivers. Lipsky refers to this toll as your trauma exposure response, also known as secondary trauma. When you're regularly involved with traumatic experiences, the stress and negative emotions can begin to wear on you.

If you lack a proper way to cope, secondary trauma can damage your worldview, quality of life, ability to care for others, and health. Secondary trauma can also lead you to develop emotional defense mechanisms that block your ability to empathize with and care for others. Therefore, to remain healthy, self-care is crucial for anyone who’s immersed in environments of loss, hardship, and pain—healthcare workers, animal rights activists, military personnel, people caring for ill family members, and environmentalists, to name a few.

Why Other People’s Pain Affects Us and Tools to Recognize Secondary Trauma

If you’re a caregiver, you might worry that thinking about your...

Trauma Stewardship Summary Signs of Secondary Trauma

According to Lipsky, people have different responses to trauma exposure, and you must first understand how secondary trauma affects you so you can better care for others. Let's look at eight signs that you may be experiencing secondary trauma.

(Shortform note: Lipsky focuses on the negative responses of secondary trauma, but other experts point out that responding to and caring for the trauma of others can also have no impact or even a positive impact. Trauma exposure might have no impact on you if you have resources like coping strategies or support systems that cancel it out. Trauma exposure can have a positive impact if you draw meaning and inspiration from your work.)

Sign #1: Feeling Like Your Actions Don't Matter

Lipsky explains that many people regularly exposed to other people’s trauma develop a sense of helplessness. A major difficulty when working with trauma sufferers is that the source that causes the trauma rarely goes away. The magnitude of colossal crises such as homelessness or the threat of extinction can feel impossible to combat as an individual and causes people to feel overwhelmed....

Trauma Stewardship Summary Practice Self-Care to Practice Trauma Stewardship

Now that we’ve discussed the signs of secondary trauma, let’s discuss how you can practice trauma stewardship to manage this type of trauma. To be more reliable, accessible, and effective for the people, animals, or environment that you’re tending to, Lipsky says you must practice self-reflection and self-care. Since secondary trauma results from you internalizing or “taking on” the pain of others, you must focus on healing yourself from within—by addressing your own needs, feelings, and intentions with mindfulness.

(Shortform note: While Lipsky argues for the importance of self-care for trauma workers specifically, Steven Covey argues that people of all professions should take care of themselves to maintain their capacity to do good work. In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Covey says you must take care of your well-being in four ways: physically (by eating well, exercising, and sleeping enough); spiritually (by meditating or spending time in nature); mentally (by learning new...

Shortform Exercise: Find a Better Balance Between Your Life and Your Work

Lipsky argues that finding a better work-life balance helps you rest and restore your capacity to care. Apply some of her tips to build healthier habits at home and at work.

Describe a typical day of work for you. Is your schedule reasonable or overwhelming? Do you have any unhealthy habits at work, such as skipping meals?