Care & Emotional Support
Provide emotional support to affected individuals and teams.
Care & Emotional Support
Trauma doesn’t end when the event does. As part of a mutual aid or field team, providing emotional care is just as vital as documenting or de-escalating. This module teaches you how to ground yourself and others before, during, and after difficult situations.
Info
You don’t need to be a therapist to offer emotional support. What people remember is how safe they felt in your presence.
Important
⚠️ This training prepares you for frontline emotional care, not clinical therapy.
🧠 70% of field volunteers report experiencing secondary trauma—care skills protect everyone.
What is Emotional Support?
Emotional support is the act of being present with someone in distress—without fixing, judging, or rushing them. It means:
- Listening with care
- Offering comfort and grounding
- Holding space for reactions
- Knowing your limits
You’re not responsible for someone’s healing, but you can help them feel seen, safe, and steady in a hard moment.
Understanding Trauma Responses
People in distress may:
- Shut down or freeze 🧊
- Lash out, cry, or shake 🔥
- Dissociate or seem numb ☁️
- Laugh or joke nervously 😅
- Breathe rapidly, clench fists, or go silent
Warning
🚫 Avoid labeling reactions as “overreactions”—trauma manifests uniquely in everyone.
Your job is not to change their response, but to support them through it.
Tools You Can Offer
| Support Tool | When to Use | Avoid When... |
|---|---|---|
| Deep breathing | Panic, dissociation | They feel smothered or overwhelmed |
| Water or food | Physical grounding | Person is vomiting, choking, etc. |
| Gentle voice and calm tone | High-emotion environments | You’re in danger or need urgency |
| Choice-based questions | Powerlessness, dissociation | Too many options may overwhelm |
| Non-verbal cues (nod, open posture) | Wordless distress | Space boundaries are unclear |
| Silence and presence | Words feel too much | The person is asking for clarity |
Success
Sometimes “Would you like to sit with me?” is more powerful than any advice.
How to Show Up in Crisis
- Ask before helping: “Would it help if I sat with you?”
- Don’t crowd or touch without permission
- Use their name if known — it helps reorient
- Repeat reality gently if they’re dissociating
- Avoid urgent tones unless there’s danger
Support Roles on Field Teams
| Role | Focus |
|---|---|
| Field Supporter | Offers water, shade, basic check-ins |
| Emotional Anchor | Stays with those overwhelmed |
| Aftercare Lead | Helps team decompress post-action |
| Trauma Buddy | Paired peer support in tense events |
Even if you’re not assigned a role, emotional care is everyone’s responsibility.
Being Grounded Yourself
Before offering care:
- Do a quick self-check:
🧍 Pause → 🫁 Breathe → 🤲 Check tension → ✅ Proceed
- Know your limits and communicate boundaries
During care:
- Speak slowly and calmly
- Mirror deep breathing and relaxed posture
- Say affirmations: “You’re doing really well.”
Aftercare:
- Debrief with a peer
- Let go of stories that aren’t yours
- Journal, eat, rest, or reconnect to your body
Scenario Practice
Warning
⚠️ These scenarios may be emotionally activating. Take a break if needed.
Scenario 1:
You find someone crying uncontrollably after a raid.
📝 Tip: Sit near them, offer water, and ask if they’d like to talk or just sit together.
🔁 Debrief: What might help them feel safer?
Scenario 2:
Your teammate says “I’m fine,” but they’re shaking and avoiding eye contact.
📝 Tip: Normalize feelings—“That was a lot. I’m here if you need to talk or sit quietly.”
🔁 Debrief: How do you balance giving space with showing concern?
Scenario 3:
A volunteer who just witnessed an arrest begins to panic.
📝 Tip: Guide them to ground—feet flat, slow breathing, name 5 things around.
🔁 Debrief: What calming tools work best for you?
Scenario 4:
A Muslim woman declines your offer of a hand on her shoulder.
📝 Tip: Respect cultural boundaries. Offer verbal support instead.
🔁 Debrief: What other culturally responsive gestures might feel safer?
What Not to Do
- Don’t pressure someone to “calm down”
- Don’t force talking or storytelling
- Don’t compare their experience to yours
- Don’t minimize (“At least you’re okay!”)
- Don’t abandon your own boundaries
Summary
- Emotional support is a radical act of care
- Trauma responses vary—support without judgment
- Always get consent before physical or emotional intervention
- Debrief and recover yourself—don’t hold what isn’t yours
Warning
In crisis work, care is not a bonus — it’s core infrastructure.
Ready to Apply?
If you feel confident in offering grounding care during stressful moments, you’re ready to certify.
Otherwise, revisit this module, or talk to a peer with lived experience in emotional support.
📘 Knowledge Check
What is the primary goal of emotional support?
It’s okay to offer physical comfort like a hug without asking, as long as you mean well.
Which of the following are appropriate trauma responses someone might have?
What’s one way you can check if someone is open to emotional support?
Which of these responses is the most grounding in a crisis?
You should skip offering support if you’re not a trained therapist.
What are good practices for emotional support in the field?
Which of the following should you avoid doing when someone is in distress?
Which role is most focused on helping teammates decompress after an action?
Before offering emotional care, what should you check in with yourself about?
How might you adjust your care for someone from a different cultural background?
Skipping your own debrief helps you stay strong for others.
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