Beyond Burnout: A Guide to Trauma Stewardship and Collective Care for Activists

You are an activist, an organizer, an advocate. Your work is fueled by deep passion, unwavering dedication, and a fierce commitment to justice. But this work also carries an immense psychological weight. The relentless exposure to suffering, the constant fight against systemic injustice, and the emotional labor of holding hope in the face of despair can take a profound toll. This isn't a personal failing; it's activist burnout, a widespread systemic issue with a high prevalence in social movements (studies show burnout rates as high as 71%).

Self-care alone is not enough. The antidote to burnout is not found in commodified, individualistic "self-care," but in a radical, systemic shift toward the principles of collective care and trauma stewardship.

Naming the Weight: Understanding Vicarious Trauma and Trauma Stewardship

To effectively combat burnout, we must first name the unseen burdens.

• Vicarious Trauma: This is the profound emotional and psychological toll that results from continuous exposure to the trauma of others. For activists, it’s an occupational hazard, an inevitable consequence of standing on the front lines of suffering and injustice. It impacts your nervous system, your worldview, and your capacity to engage.

• Trauma Stewardship: Laura van Dernoot Lipsky's concept of Trauma Stewardship offers a more expansive and empowering framework. It defines the "cumulative toll on those who are exposed to the suffering, hardship, crisis, or trauma of humans, other living beings, or the planet itself." This reframes the experience from pathology to responsibility, acknowledging the sacredness and weight of the work. It's about how you steward that trauma—how you carry it, process it, and transform it without being consumed by it.

  
  

From Self-Care to Collective Care: A Political Re-Framing

Mainstream "self-care" (e.g., bubble baths, spa days) is often an inadequate, individualistic response to systemic harm. As Black Lives Matter co-founder Patrisse Cullors powerfully states, "Self-care days don't stop white supremacy. What stops white supremacy is changing your systems."

Collective Care is the political and communal understanding that well-being is a shared responsibility, not solely an individual one. It involves intentionally creating organizations, movements, and communities with systems and cultures designed to support healing, rest, and sustainability for all members. It's about building structures where everyone's well-being is woven into the fabric of the movement itself.

How We Change: Lessons from Nature and 'Emergent Strategy'

adrienne maree brown's transformative work, Emergent Strategy, offers a philosophical and practical guide for implementing collective care. Brown draws lessons from natural systems—like flocks of birds, ant colonies, and fungal networks—to propose a more sustainable and resilient way of organizing for social change. Key principles for activist well-being include:

• Small is good, small is all (The large is a reflection of the small): This counters the pressure for constant, large-scale action. Sustainable change is built through the quality of our small, local, and interpersonal interactions. Your ability to care for yourself and your immediate community is the foundation for broader change.

• Change is constant (Be like water): Build psychological and organizational flexibility. Rigid, brittle plans lead to burnout when they inevitably encounter obstacles. Embrace adaptability and flow.

• There is a conversation in the room that only these people at this moment can have. Find it: Prioritize authentic human connection, presence, and deep listening over a relentless focus on agendas and outcomes. Healing happens in genuine connection.

  
  

These principles offer a framework for being in community that is inherently less depleting and more nourishing.

5 Practices for Sustainable Activism

Here are actionable strategies for integrating trauma stewardship and collective care into your work:

1. Practice Trauma Stewardship: Develop an intentional, non-judgmental awareness of the emotional and psychological toll your work takes, both individually and as a group. Acknowledge it, don't dismiss it.

2. Build a Collective Care Pod: Form a small, dedicated group of fellow activists whose explicit purpose is mutual support, processing, and rest. This space is separate from strategic organizing work; it's for human connection and emotional regulation.

3. Embrace Emergent Goals: Release the immense pressure for immediate, monumental change. Focus on small, adaptive, and sustainable steps that build momentum over time, celebrating small victories.

4. Schedule Collective Integration Time: Normalize and institutionalize blocking out time after intense actions, protests, or traumatic events. Use this time for collective processing, nervous system co-regulation (e.g., shared mindful breathing, debriefing), and shared meaning-making, rather than immediately moving to the next task.

5. Establish Boundaries as a Movement Value: Advocate within your organizations to make respecting capacity and the need for rest a core principle of the work, rather than a sign of individual weakness or lack of commitment.

   
   

You Don't Have to Carry It Alone: Support for Activists

The work of creating a more just world is sacred, and it demands sustainable energy. You don't have to carry the weight of the world alone, or burn out in the process. Professionals specializing in trauma, systemic issues, and the unique challenges of social justice work can offer a specialized space where your commitment is honored, your experiences are validated, and you can find the tools and support to engage in your vital work with resilience and wholeness.

If you're an activist seeking a therapeutic space that truly understands the unique demands of your work, we invite you to connect with qualified mental health professionals. Schedule a consultation today.