Some clients’ stories stick with me long after I leave work. I’ll be doing something completely ordinary at home, washing dishes or trying to watch something, and suddenly I’m thinking about what they told me. Sometimes it’s not even the details, just the feeling of how scared or trapped they were.
I know it isn’t my trauma, but my body doesn’t always seem to understand that. I get tense, sleep badly, or start imagining similar things happening to people I care about. Then I feel guilty for being affected when I’m supposed to be the professional in the room.
I’ve been trying to make a clearer line between work and home, like taking a walk before going inside and writing down what I’m carrying instead of letting it circle around in my head. It helps a little, but not every time. The part I’m still learning is that caring about someone doesn’t mean I have to keep reliving what happened to them after I clock out.