South Africa: From Burnout to Resilience: Strengthening Community Healing Through Trauma
The Mental Wellness Initiative NPC is helping frontline GBV workers recover from burnout and secondary trauma through trauma-informed workshops that strengthen emotional regulation, healing, and community resilience across South Africa.
Frontline workers supporting survivors of gender-based violence often experience burnout, emotional exhaustion, and secondary trauma. Many GBV-focused organisations lack access to trauma-informed support, leaving staff overwhelmed and without tools to regulate stress. The Mental Wellness Initiative (MWI), a South African organisation dedicated to trauma-informed care, responded by creating a four-part workshop series implemented across Gauteng, Western Cape, North West, and Free State.
The workshops combined trauma theory with practical somatic tools such as breathwork, meditation, grounding exercises, yoga, talk therapy, shadow work, and Trauma Release Exercises (TRE). Each session created a safe space for participants—many of whom are survivors themselves—to process emotions, share experiences, and build supportive peer networks.
Change emerged through facilitated reflection, embodied practice, and ongoing collaboration with partner organisations. Participants reported improved emotional regulation, deeper understanding of trauma responses, and stronger resilience. Several expressed readiness to move into train-the-trainer roles, allowing skills to be embedded in their organisations.
Organisations reported improved staff well-being, healthier communication, and reduced emotional overload. Trauma literacy began shifting organisational culture, reducing stigma around mental health and reinforcing feminist principles of care, dignity, and sustainability.
Sustainability will come through daily integration of trauma-informed practices, strengthened peer support, follow-up engagement, and the development of community facilitators equipped to sustain mental wellness practices across GBV-affected communities.
Quotes:
Jane Doe - Thank you so much for the mind and body meditation techniques! I have learnt to fill up my cup first before I go fill others cups.
Vicky Lamola - The programme was insightful and timely, especially for communities experiencing high levels of GBV.
Gathel Moyo - Our staff performance has improved as we are able to self-regulate, strengthening team resilience.
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