For the Ones Who Always Show Up: Why We Need to Prioritize Helpers
Helpers are the quiet backbone of our communities.
They’re the nurse catching their breath between back-to-back shifts. The teacher gently guiding a nervous student through the school doors. The paramedic arriving on the scene when everything feels out of control.
They’re the nurse catching their breath between back-to-back shifts. They’re the doctor sitting with a family through devastating news. The firefighter heading into danger while everyone else steps back.
They’re the social worker making hard calls no one wants to make. The parent soothing a child’s tears at 3 a.m. They’re the neighbour dropping off soup, the friend who checks in, the volunteer who always says yes.
They’re the people others lean on when life gets hard—but they’re rarely the ones asked, “How are you, really?”
The Cost of Always Holding It Together
As a social worker and someone who’s walked through a lot of personal grief, I’ve seen it up close—how often helpers are expected to be okay, even when they’re not.
The truth is, helpers are at high risk for burnout, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma. They carry other people’s pain in their bones, often without time or space to process it.
They absorb stories that haunt them. They feel guilt when they can’t do more, shame when they feel numb, and pressure to keep showing up—no matter the cost.
And they do. Over and over again. Even when their health, relationships, and sense of identity start to crack under the weight.
Why We Need to Start Asking: “What About You?”
I created A Minute for Mental Health because I wanted to build tools that speak directly to this quiet crisis—the one unfolding behind the scenes in classrooms, clinics, emergency rooms, and living rooms across our communities.
When we prioritize the mental health of helpers, we’re not just supporting individuals—we’re safeguarding the emotional infrastructure of our entire society.
We’re keeping families afloat. We’re making workplaces more compassionate, keeping schools safer, ERs steadier, and homes calmer. We’re giving people who care for others a place to care for themselves.
Because strength isn't about pushing through. It’s about knowing when to pause.
Helpers Are Human
You don’t have to “earn” rest. You don’t need to hit rock bottom before you ask for support.
You deserve tools that help you reconnect with your values, your breath, your body, and your capacity to feel grounded—not just useful.
We ask a lot of the people who hold us up.
Let’s give something back.
Whether it’s a downloadable worksheet between therapy sessions, a grief support group, or simply hearing “You’re not alone” and actually believing it—it matters.
If you’re a helper, please remember this:
You’re allowed to have needs.
You don’t have to carry it all alone.
And just because you’re good at helping others doesn’t mean you don’t deserve help too.
Let’s take care of the people who take care of everyone else.
