When Your Heart is Heavy: Processing the Impact of Witnessing Genocide in Real Time

Mar 14, 2025

💔 Does your heart feel heavy from everything you’re witnessing online?

It’s no wonder. Watching real-time suffering, seeing truth denied, and speaking up for what’s right—it takes a toll. But it doesn’t mean you’re broken. Because this subject is painful, I’ll refrain from my usual lightness in my writing. After all, I’m human too, and like you, I’m feeling the impact of all the tragedy.

👉 In this blog, I unpack:

📱 What happens when we witness trauma in real-time
🧠 How gaslighting reality destabilizes your mind
💔 The emotional cost of moral courage
🛠 Gentle ways to stay engaged without burning out
👩🏻‍⚕️Finding the right therapist for trauma therapy

If you're spending any time on social media, chances are you've been overwhelmed, have sensory overload, and feeling vicariously traumatized from witnessing all the atrocities. Maybe you've been having trouble sleeping, feeling anxious, or finding it hard to focus at work.

Maybe you keep checking your phone for updates, then feel guilty for not being able to do more to stop the ongoing massacres. I want you to know that what you're experiencing is a completely normal response to an absolutely abnormal situation.

What Happens When We Witness Trauma in Real-Time

Let's talk about what's really going on here. For the first time in history, we're witnessing genocidal violence unfold in real time through our phones and computers. We're seeing the suffering in Gaza, Sudan, Congo, Lebanon, and Syria not as distant news reports, but as immediate, raw reality through live streams and firsthand accounts. It's a lot for our hearts and minds to process.

You might be experiencing:

Trouble focusing on everyday tasks because your nervous system is in a state of alarm
Random waves of sadness, anxiety, or rage
Feeling your body brace even though you're "just watching"
Difficulty sleeping or having intense dreams

All of these reactions? They're your humanity showing. They're signs that your heart is working exactly as it should.

When Reality Has Been Gaslit

One of the most destabilizing parts of this experience is probably the stark contrast between what you're witnessing and what some media outlets or people around you are saying. When you can literally see genocide happening in real-time, but hear it being denied or minimized, it can make you feel like your intelligence is being insulted, or frustrated that people are choosing to live in illusion.

It's okay if you're:

Feeling outraged seeing people respond apathetic or indifferent
Questioning your own judgment, even though you know what you've seen
Feeling angry and frustrated at the racism and dehumanization
Exhausted from trying to explain what's clearly visible
Struggling to trust people you once respected

Remember: You're not losing your mind. Your eyes and heart are working perfectly fine. But if the way you thought about how the world works has been shattered, the disillusion can be dysregulating to your nervous system.

When The Cost of Moral Courage Means Losing Relationships

For many, speaking out about real-world atrocities can come with a great deal of personal cost. So many people, especially those speaking up for Palestine, have watched long-term relationships dissolve over their advocacy, which can hurt deeply.

Your Moral Courage can cost:

Loss of professional contracts
Severed long-term friendships
Family tensions and rifts
Social isolation during a time of emotional need
The compound grief of losing support systems while processing collective trauma

If this has happened to you, I want you to know that:

The pain you feel is real and valid
You're not alone in this experience
Your commitment to truth over comfort is brave
It's okay to grieve these losses while knowing you made the right choice

Taking Care of Yourself (Without Turning Away)

I believe if people are brave enough to film their own genocide, it’s important we bear witness to their suffering and do what we can to help. That being said, this is a long game, so it’s important to take care of your nervous system so you can advocate for yourself and others.

Here's how we can stay present and helpful without completely burning out:

Gentle Ways to Ground Yourself

Be intentional going on social media to get updates.
While viewing posts, tap on your chest to assist in shock, rage, and grief.
If hopelessness kicks in, go outside in nature to reset your nervous system
Move your body in ways that feel good - dance, walk, stretch
Remember that rest is not abandonment

Building New Support Systems

Connect with others who understand - you don't have to carry this alone
Join support groups (online or in-person) for activists and advocates
Create small rituals that help you process - lighting a candle, writing, art
Consider working with a trauma-informed therapist

Finding a Therapist for Trauma Healing

We all know that talking to someone and being heard is helpful, but witnessing the atrocities in the world can create an additional trauma response in some people. If someone comes from a history of being abused, controlled, gaslit, or manipulated, then it’s important to find a therapist that understands nuance in the nervous system.

Important Things to Consider in Finding a Therapist

Are they trained in trauma therapy? (Examples below)

Are they culturally knowledgeable and safe for you?

They believe in equal human rights-without exception
You can be yourself without code switching
They respect your pace of processing

Do you trust them?

They self-disclose when appropriate to build trust
Their character is authentic and congruent
They are reliable, on time and keep their word

Staying Engaged While Protecting Your Heart

If you have health issues, on the neurodiverse spectrum, or have a limited amount of energy, use your time wisely. As I say to my clients, everything we do costs us energy coins, so if you’re in a wheelchair, for example, and you were told an event will have no accommodations, and you already have sensory overload, use your energy coins for something else.

Choose forms of engagement that match your energy levels
Take turns with other advocates - tag team when needed
Celebrate small acts of resistance and kindness
Remember that burning out helps no one - pacing yourself is vital

Don’t forget to eat well.

It may be stating the obvious, but low blood sugar creates high cortisol, which can make you feel agitated. If you’re waking up in the middle of the night, one reason may be because you may not be not nourishing yourself enough. Also, while witnessing trauma, you need to maintain your glucose levels for better brain functioning. This is not the time for additional cognitive impairment.

A Gentle Reminder

Your sensitivity to human suffering is not weakness - it's your humanity shining through. Your struggle to maintain a normal life while carrying awareness of immense suffering is not failure - it's the natural tension of living with an open heart in difficult times.

If you're finding it particularly hard to cope, please know that seeking professional support is an act of wisdom, not weakness. Look for a therapist who understands:

The impact of witnessing collective trauma
The unique stress of advocacy work
How to navigate moral injury and grief
Ways to maintain hope while facing hard realities

Remember: Taking care of yourself isn't selfish - it's necessary. Your well-being matters, both for its own sake and for sustaining your capacity to care and act. You're doing something incredibly difficult, and you're doing it with remarkable courage. You’re trying to be present at work, be sociable with friends and family, and expected to be emotionally functional. My secret is to schedule crying and emotional venting time every week to release the stress. Be gentle with your process along the way.

If you would like to have more support and tools to release trauma, here are some resources for you.

The Invoke and Release® Healing Circle is a full library of trauma healing choices for you to choose from.

A variety of Masterclasses on trauma and healing
A variety of 5-10 minute healings to reset your nervous system.
A Self-Study Vault for guided healing
Access to The Invoke and Release® Healing Modality

The Invoke and Release® Healing Modality will help you:

Transform vicarious trauma into feeling grounded
Build emotional resilience in the face of global challenges
Amplify your ability to stay present and engaged without losing yourself

The Invoke and Release® Healing Modality is a powerful tool that helps you release emotional trauma so you can feel free to engage with the world's pain without being consumed by it.

Looking for private personalized help?

A private consultation appointment with Freda Salamy might be right for you.

(Please note, there is currently a waitlist, but feel free to fill out the form.)

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