04/03/2026
In collective trauma, not all trauma is the same, and that distinction matters.
Primary trauma does not only describe the experiences of those physically present at the scene of a violent event or disaster. It describes, in general, the experience and reactivity to real threat or loss: a partner on the phone, a staff member whose sense of safety shattered, a community member whose world no longer feels secure.
Secondary trauma is different. It comes from bearing witness to others’ stories and pain.
Within each category exist varying levels of severity, based on many things, but especially based on how intense the perceived risk was/is.
When we blur this line, we risk misplacing care, minimizing those most impacted while misunderstanding our own experiences. This is not about comparing suffering. It is about clarity, so support can go where it is most needed, and so each of us can locate ourselves honestly within the story.
