5 Self-Care Practices for Nonprofit Storytellers
As nonprofit storytellers, we play a crucial role in bearing witness to the trauma and pain of those we serve. Our work can profoundly impact hearts, minds, and lives, compelling action for important causes.
However, this responsibility also makes us vulnerable to secondary trauma, burnout, and compassion fatigue.
In this post, we'll explore why self-care is vital for storytellers and offer five practical strategies to maintain your well-being while continuing your important work.
The Hidden Toll of Bearing Witness
I plowed through part 2 of The Vow, a documentary following the trials of NXIVM leaders. It's a disturbing cult and a disturbing documentary.
There was one particular storyline that stuck with me. Emily Saul, a New York Post Litigation Reporter, was almost giddy at the start of Keith Raniere's trial. As the series goes on, Emily becomes deeply affected by the testimonies of ex-NXIVM members.
After a brutal day of trial, she debriefs with the documentary crew, saying:
"I didn't expect this to be so emotionally grueling. I have noticed that this trial specifically sticks with me and bothers me in ways others haven't. I'm going to carry that testimony with me for a long time. That's what it means to bear witness to something like this. You take a little bit of that with you."
It gave me this visual of little pieces of stories absorbing into us and becoming part of who we are.
I'm looking at you, nonprofit storytellers.
Why Self-Care Matters for Nonprofit Storytellers
You play a powerful role in bearing witness to the trauma and pain of those you serve. And you weave the nuances and complexities of this information into stories that change hearts, minds, and lives and compel action.
You're vulnerable to secondary trauma as a storyteller.
If we don’t care for ourselves, we can’t continue our important work as storytellers, making self-care just as imperative as all other trauma-informed practices.
When I do talks and training on trauma-informed storytelling, I always include how we can navigate secondary trauma as we bear witness to incredibly difficult stories. That is either met with validation and relief or folks who outspokenly tell me that storyteller self-care is not what they signed up for.
It matters. It deeply matters. And this is why.
If we can't set boundaries and practices that help us regulate our nervous systems, in the short term, we will not be able to adequately attune ourselves to the brave story owners we hold spaces with. And that means we won't have the capacity to use all the tools in our trauma-informed toolbox.
Long-term, compassion fatigue will get the best of us, and we will burn out.
I'm not being crunchy when I walk you through caring for your nervous system. I want you to be here for the long haul to tell world-changing stories. Not everyone has that gift. Not everyone chooses to use that gift in the social good sector. That alone needs to be protected as we work towards building a more sensitive and thoughtful world.
When we care for ourselves as storytellers, we’re working towards:
Maintaining Empathy: Regular self-care helps us stay attuned to the brave individuals sharing their stories
Sustainable Impact: By avoiding burnout, we can continue our vital work in the long term.
Quality of Work: A well-regulated nervous system allows us to use all the tools in our trauma-informed toolbox effectively.
5 Self-Care Practices for Nonprofit Storytellers
In the challenging world of nonprofit storytelling, where we often encounter intense emotions and difficult narratives, self-care is not just a luxury—it's a necessity.
The following practices help you maintain your emotional well-being, preserve your empathy, and sustain your ability to tell powerful stories over the long term.
1. Pause and Reflect
Action Step: Set aside 5-10 minutes daily to check in with your emotions and mental state.
Regularly pausing to assess how you're feeling is crucial. This practice helps you recognize when you need to take further steps for self-regulation or when you feel safe to continue your work.
2. Practice Grounding Exercises
Action Step: Incorporate at least one grounding exercise into your daily routine.
Grounding exercises are powerful tools to regulate your nervous system, especially when dealing with intense stories or emotions. These practices can help you stay present and centered, reducing the risk of secondary trauma.
Here are some effective techniques:
Deep Breathing: Try the square breathing technique. Inhale for 4 seconds, hold for 4 seconds, exhale for 4 seconds, and hold for another 4 seconds. Repeat 3-5 times.
Body Scan Meditation: Spend 5-10 minutes focusing on each part of your body, releasing tension as you go. Here’s a free body scan meditation that you can use.
5-4-3-2-1 Sensory Exercise: Name 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.
Mindful Walking: Take a short walk, focusing on the sensation of your feet touching the ground and the rhythm of your breath.
Incorporating these exercises throughout your day, especially before and after intense storytelling sessions, can help maintain your emotional balance and resilience.
3. Know Your Boundaries and Communicate Them
Action Step: Create a list of your personal and professional boundaries, and practice assertive communication.
One of the best ways to take care of yourself is by knowing your limits and communicating them clearly with your team before reaching a breaking point.
4. Understand Your Scope
Action Step: Develop a resource list of trauma-responsive professionals for referrals.
Remember, as a storyteller, you're not a trained therapist. Know when to pass the torch to someone who is trauma-responsive rather than solely trauma-informed.
5. Seek Out Your Support System
Action Step: Identify 3-5 trusted individuals you can reach out to when feeling overwhelmed.
Don't hesitate to call on your unique support system in times of need. Whether it's a boss, coworker, friend, or family member, having someone to lean on when you feel emotionally overwhelmed is crucial. Consider investing in talk therapy with a professional trained in trauma.
Use Your Voice To Advocate For Yourself
One last thing to consider is sharing the below open letter that I wrote with your network. It’s meant to serve as a way to give voice to what you may not feel you can on your own. I hope that it raises you up and sheds light on any struggles you may be having.
(feel free to copy and share, please credit me where possible)
Dear Nonprofit Leaders,
You have entrusted us with sharing some of the most profound narratives of human experience, and we have wholeheartedly accepted that sacred responsibility. Day after day, we seek out and elevate the powerful stories of resilience and transformation that put a human face on the missions we care deeply about.
With pens and cameras in hand, we hold space for raw emotions and vulnerable moments. We transcribe narratives of courage and perseverance to prove that change, however difficult, is possible.
We hold space for deeply painful lived experiences, absorb them, metabolize them, and craft stories for broader audiences. After a time, it all accumulates like a weight pressing on our own hearts and souls.
Have you ever wondered about the toll of gathering and telling traumatic stories? The vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue of witnessing injustice?
We do this because we believe that stories can change hearts and minds and make the world a healthier, safer, cleaner, and happier place. This is our calling—but we are weary.
The truth is that many of us are struggling with burnout beneath the surface.
You may have witnessed the subtle signs—our tired eyes, shorter tempers, and writer's block—our newfound feelings of anger, guilt, and hopelessness.
Nonprofit leaders, we need your support to continue to tell stories of impact.
We need access to mental health resources—counseling, support groups, self-care training. We need formalized peer support systems for debriefing after difficult interviews. We need boundaries established around our psychological workloads. Perhaps most importantly, we need you to understand that our well-being is inextricably tied to the quality of work.
Your willingness to prioritize our mental health will not only benefit us storytellers as individuals—it will protect the very stories that have inspired your organization's most committed supporters and hard-fought wins.
We come to you united by our shared calling to reveal the truth and summon hope, awe, and inspiration from the struggle. Please join us in ensuring the long-term sustainability of our great storytelling work.
With care and resilience,
Your Storytellers
As nonprofit storytellers, you possess a unique and powerful gift—the ability to amplify voices, inspire change, and move hearts and minds through your words. By prioritizing your well-being through these self-care practices, you're not just taking care of yourself; you're preserving and nurturing this invaluable gift.
Remember, your stories have the power to change the world.
Embrace these self-care strategies, advocate for your needs, and know that by taking care of yourself, you're ensuring that your voice—and the voices of those you represent—will continue to resonate and create impact for years to come.
You're not just a storyteller—you're a catalyst for change. And your well-being is an essential part of that journey.
So, take a deep breath, ground yourself, and continue to tell the stories that matter—because the world needs your voice now more than ever.
Do you want to dig deeper into trauma-informed storytelling? Tune in to the When Bearing Witness Podcast! Join my conversations with trauma-informed experts and fellow social-good storytellers as we help shape the intersection of trauma-informed care and the storytelling process.