In this powerful solo episode of Growing Tall Poppies, host Dr. Nat Green uncovers a hidden truth affecting thousands of health and helping professionals: the exhaustion, numbness, and loss of purpose you’re feeling may not just be burnout—it could be vicarious trauma.
While burnout is widely discussed, vicarious trauma often goes unrecognized. It’s the quiet, cumulative cost of absorbing the pain, stories, and suffering of others. In this episode, Dr. Nat explains how vicarious trauma differs from burnout and compassion fatigue, and why so many well-meaning professionals silently suffer without realizing what's really going on.
You’ll hear some more of her own story, gain clarity on the emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and existential symptoms of vicarious trauma, and discover gentle, practical steps for resetting your nervous system and reconnecting with your true self.
This is a must-listen for anyone who feels like they’ve lost their spark, identity, or joy in the work they once loved.
🗂️ Timestamps & Episode Flow:
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✨ Mentioned in This Episode:
💬 Let’s Connect:
If this episode resonated with you, take a screenshot, share it in your Instagram stories, and tag @drnatgreen—let’s spread this message to every exhausted health professional who needs to hear it.
This episode may include a short message from Dr Nat about her upcoming live masterclass:
Why You Keep Hitting An Invisible Ceiling — Even After All The Work
🗓 Friday 27 February
🕚 11:00am AEDT (Sydney, Australia)
This 90-minute live session is for people who have done therapy or personal growth work but still feel like something is holding them back.
You can find registration details via the link in the show notes.
If this episode resonates with you then I'd love for you to hit SUBSCRIBE so you can keep updated with each new episode as soon as it's released and we'd be most grateful if you would give us a RATING as well. You can also find me on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/drnatgreen/ or on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/DrNatalieGreen
Intro and Outro music: Inspired Ambient by Playsound.
Disclaimer: This podcast is intended for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be deemed or treated as psychological treatment or to replace the need for psychological treatment.
