SURVIVING COMPASSION FATIGUE, AKA, SECONDARY AND VICARIOUS TRAUMA: THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE

Level:           Advanced Practice

Credits:        6

 Intended Audience:

This highly interactive training is designed to address the self-care needs of those working with children, youth and adults impacted by traumatic life events.

Description of Course:

Participants are encouraged to verbalize their understanding and connectedness to the multiple aspects of compassion fatigue. By taking a self-inventory, participants will see first-hand, the levels of stress they experience. The group will look at several tools and techniques to circumvent the most challenging aspects of their compassion fatigue and to be able to regain a state of neuro-physiological (mind-body) regulation, recovery and resilience.

Addressing stress in the workplace has traditionally been avoided or seem as a distraction to the delivery of service. This training integrates stress management techniques and strategies off and on the work site without interrupting productivity. Direct Care staff and management are encouraged/prompted to understand their vulnerabilities, recognize early their own and their colleagues warning signs of secondary and vicarious stress. Management is also provided with strategies to promote a more secondary trauma informed work environment and support the maintenance of professional and personal well-being in valued staff. These approaches can be applied to unique work settings to strategize appropriate opportunities to incorporate self-care concurrent with work performance.

Presentation includes: discussion; video; team game; self-inventory test; power point slides; Q&A; psycho-motor healing exercise; audio relaxation experience; real life examples.

Intended Objectives:

• Learn the potentially damaging professional and personal effects of secondary stress.
• Describe how to be resilient in the face of overwhelming and emotionally intense demands.
• Review new ways to support co-workers and increase morale; accountability helps.
• Learn strategies for accelerated recovery and self-regulation.
• Be aware of the multiple causes and triggers of CF and burnout.
• Recognize early warning signs of stress overload in yourself and others in your circle of colleagues, friends and acquaintances.
• Understand the role of stress in relation to anger, emotions and behaviors

 Topics Include:

• The Service Provider’s vulnerability
• Some factors that cause CF and burnout
• How to become resilient in the face of overwhelming and emotionally intense demands.
• Some new ways to care for ourselves.
• New ways to support co-workers and increase morale
• To be accountable to someone who will support you and help you say “no”
• How to plan intentional strategies for “self-care”