The Aftermath of Trauma: How Building Resilience Can Help Us Heal

In animal welfare, trauma isn’t always a single catastrophic event—it’s often the accumulation of heartbreaking moments: the cruelty case that keeps you up at night, the one that didn't make it, the endless stream of suffering animals in need. And while these experiences can take a serious toll, research shows that about two-thirds of people recover from trauma without developing a long-term disorder like PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).

So, what’s their secret? While there’s no magic formula, studies point to one powerful protective factor: resilience. People with higher levels of resilience are less likely to develop PTSD after trauma, making resilience a kind of emotional armor in the field.

But what exactly is resilience? It’s not about being “tough” or immune to pain—you still feel the heartbreak, but you have the tools to adapt, recover, and keep going without losing your sense of self. In animal welfare, that might mean getting through the worst cruelty case of your career and still showing up for the next animal in need—without completely falling apart.

And here’s the good news: resilience isn’t something you’re either born with or doomed to live without. Like building muscle, you can strengthen resilience through intentional practice. It’s less about “grit” and more about a set of practical and proven skills that you can train, hone, and lean on when the going gets rough.

Here are some of the building blocks of resilience—adapted for the unique challenges of animal welfare work:

1. Emotional Regulation. When you witness suffering day after day, your emotions can make you feel like you’re on a never-ending rollercoaster ride. Emotional regulation is the ability to stay grounded even when everything around is out of control and burning to the ground. It’s not about shutting down—it’s about allowing yourself to feel without letting those emotions hijack your ability to act.

2. Problem-Solving Skills. From veterinary medicine to rescue work, things rarely go according to plan. Having strong problem-solving skills means you can pivot quickly when resources are scarce, transport falls through, or the shelter is full. It gives you a sense of control in situations where so much feels uncontrollable.

3. Cognitive Reframing. While painful experiences are inevitable in animal work, how you interpret a situation can change how deeply it hurts you. For example, instead of thinking, “I failed this animal,” reframing might sound like, “I did everything I could with what I had, and my work still mattered.” This mental shift can help protect against depression, guilt, and burnout.

4. Stress Management Skills. In highly stressful fields like animal welfare, your “fight-or-flight” switch can get stuck in the ON position. The ability to downshift—through breathing exercises, physical activity, mindfulness, or other grounding techniques—reduces the wear and tear on your body and mind, making it easier to recover from emotionally charged days.

5. Social Support. Your fellow animal warriors get it. Having a support network of people who truly understand the work—whether co-workers, friends, or online communities—can help counter feelings of isolation and hopelessness.

6. Willingness to Seek Help. There’s no medal for suffering in silence. Seeking out professional help, be it therapy or coaching, early after a particularly traumatic case, or even as preventive maintenance, can help you process what happened and reduce the risk of long-term harm.

7. Positive Outlook. Hope is a survival skill. In the darkest moments, believing that change is possible—for animals, for people, for systems—can keep you moving forward. Optimism doesn’t mean ignoring reality; it means holding space for the possibility of a better outcome.

8. Self-Efficacy. You know you can make a difference because you’ve done it before. Believing in your ability to take effective action—whether that’s saving one animal or pushing for a new law—protects you from helplessness, even when the odds seem impossible.

9. Healthy Coping Skills. It’s tempting to numb the pain with overwork, alcohol, or other avoidance strategies, but these only delay healing. Choosing healthier outlets—exercise, time in nature, art, music, therapy—helps you process the pain and come back stronger.

10. Purpose and Meaning. Animal welfare work is often more than a job—it’s a calling. Staying connected to your “why” can be a powerful motivator when the work feels impossible. Finding meaning in the fight—whether through the lives saved, laws changed, or awareness raised—can transform your identity from trauma victim to trauma survivor.

Resilience doesn’t mean you won’t still have bad days, feel the losses deeply, or sometimes wonder if you can keep going. But like reinforcing a ship’s hull, strengthening these skills can help you weather the storm without sinking. And sometimes, after the wreckage, you can rebuild stronger than before.

If you’re an animal welfare professional, rescuer, activist, or advocate struggling with compassion fatigue, trauma, or burnout, you don’t have to navigate this alone. There are tools, strategies, and communities that can help you protect your well-being while you protect theirs.

-Jennifer Blough, LPC