Across courtrooms, newsrooms, hospitals and insurance call centres, a growing number of workers are carrying the psychological cost of other people’s worst days. So what happens when caring for others begins to harm the carers themselves? 

In this episode of The Churchill Changemakers, host and Churchill Fellow Michelle Ainsworth speaks with social worker Amy Nicholas about her 2023 Churchill Fellowship, during which she explored second-hand trauma, or “vicarious” trauma at work, and how exposure to others’ traumatic experiences can carry an immense psychological and emotional toll. 

Amy explains why vicarious trauma is increasingly impacting not only traditional frontline workers but also “digital frontline” employees who view digital evidence of these incidents on CCTV and social media. 

The Churchill Changemakers is produced for the Winston Churchill Trust by:

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