Secondary Trauma

Lawyers play an integral role in our society. That is just one of the many reasons why we think it is so important that lawyers and judges get the support they need. Yet given the crucial role played by lawyers and judges, the unfortunate reality is that they, like first responders, doctors, social workers, and other mental health professionals, are sometimes exposed to some of the worst that society has to offer. And this creates a risk of secondary trauma.

Secondary trauma is when a person is exposed to traumatic experiences second hand. This can be a criminal lawyer or judge, struggling with the reality of a gruesome crime. It can be a family lawyer who hears about severe family trauma. It can be a plaintiff’s lawyer who sees the harm their client is experiencing first hand.

Some naysayers might argue that it is a weakness or that it is merely a reaction, not an actual mental health condition. This ignores the reality that secondary trauma can check off every criteria for primary post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

This is why it is so important to be honest about the traumatic impact some of our specialties have, so that we can get support for our secondary trauma while also pushing back against the stigma that people are overreacting since nothing happened to them directly. We all respond to traumatic experiences, including traumatic stories and images, differently. And as a community and as a profession we need to acknowledge that and recognize that we can do more to support our fellow attorneys and judges who might be struggling with traumatic exposures in the their work.