Counterbalancing is a method of coping with stress by invoking a stress reduction strategy. In the video When Helping Hurts, therapist John Wilson states, “It's important to counterbalance the intensity of the work you do.” In the video, his statement is addressed chiefly to those laypersons and professionals who provide care for traumatized populations and consequently may experience secondary traumatic stress reactions or compassion fatigue. However, Dr. Wilson's statement, when slightly modified, provides a framework for those who experience critical incidents, disasters, and other traumatic events: It's important to counterbalance the intensity of stressors in one's life, regardless of whether the source of the stress is primary (direct stress) or secondary (response to someone else's stressful experience).

To understand more deeply the concept of counterbalancing, it ...