Genocide in Palestine: Vicarious Trauma from afar, and my action for today Gabor Maté

It’s hard to not feel continuously horrified, sad, confused, angry, powerless, and hopeless about the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people. I am also feeling stuck and frozen, similar to a trauma 'freeze' response. What I'm experiencing is what we call vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma happens when we are exposed to someone else’s suffering. Its symptoms can mirror those of direct trauma: fight, flight, or freeze (see my old blog post on trauma). But it can also include compassion fatigue—emotional exhaustion from caring so deeply—and even shifts in worldview, leaving us feeling hopeless or disoriented.

Anyone repeatedly being exposed to the reports and images of Palestinians can be traumatized. Some people are even more vulnerable to exposure of such human suffering. Studies have shown that those with an emotional connection to the victims experience stronger vicarious trauma. I believe this is true, because as a new mother, I have felt traumatized by images of Palestinian children. Even if I haven't thought we are in danger, my body has felt that my son is in danger. My clients and friends who are Arab have expressed feeling similarly.

I also continue to feel so guilty that I am not doing enough to stop the genocide. What to do about the vicarious trauma and guilt???

For me, the answer (for now) is to take it one day at a time. To let myself feel my feelings. To regulate my nervous system. To limit media exposure when it becomes too much. To care for myself, care for my son, be grateful for what I do have, and do what I can—however small it may feel.

And today, what I can do is share an interview with one of my favorite trauma experts, Dr. Gabor Maté, a Holocaust survivor, speaking on the history of trauma in Palestine caused by Zionism.

As you watch or listen, I invite you to check in with your body. Notice what’s happening in your nervous system. If you feel signs of overwhelm or vicarious trauma, pause and take care of yourself.

👉 Watch the interview here

“...there’s no post traumatic stress disorder here, because the trauma is never post. It’s always with us.”

If you are needing emotional support, especially with the genocide of Palestine, please reach out. I provide in-person therapy in Berkeley and virtually across California. Click here to contact me for a free consultation to see if we're a fit.