The stories we take home: Unrecognized emotional labour and vicarious trauma in crisis responders and research practice

Abstract

Crisis responders, such as paramedics and firefighters, as well as researchers who engage with trauma-focused narratives, face a shared yet often under-recognized challenge: the cumulative psychological and emotional toll of their professional roles. This article examines how reflective practice, specifically structured reflective writing, functions as a critical tool for processing traumatic experiences to foster resilience and supporting professional identity development in high-stress contexts. Drawing on empirical research with crisis responders in European and Canadian contexts, alongside insights from trauma-focused research practice, we explore how repeated exposure to critical incidents and traumatic narratives produces both direct and indirect forms of emotional strain. While crisis responders might encounter trauma through immediate, embodied responses, some researchers similarly experience vicarious trauma through sustained engagement with participants’ accounts of experiencing violence, suffering loss, and navigating systemic inequities. Findings suggest that intentional reflection enables individuals to surface suppressed emotional responses, develop metacognitive awareness, and integrate challenging experiences into their sense of self. At the same time, the article highlights a significant gap in institutional recognition and support for the emotional labour inherent in both frontline crisis responders and researchers doing trauma-triggering research. In response, we propose a set of actionable recommendations and argue that sustainable engagement in trauma-related practice and research requires not only reflective tools but also systemic approaches that acknowledge and support those who carry these stories beyond the moment of encounter.