Stress Management for the Trauma Provider

Stress Management for the Trauma Provider “Stress Management for the Trauma Provider” is an important workshop for all who work with traumatized people. This course explores the “Stress Continuum,” the levels of stress including eustress (i.e., beneficial, motivating stress), traumatic stress, burnout, countertransference, compassion fatigue or secondary PTSD, and vicarious traumatization which may occur as a result of helping others. A discussion of coping strategies for those who work with traumatized children will also be offered. Individual self-report exercises and an experiential group support session will assist the participating trauma provider in assessing their own level of stress through sharing personal experiences with others. Stress management self care techniques will be presented, experienced and discussed. This course is appropriate for all mental health professionals, emergency services personnel, and peer counselors. Upon completion, participants will be able to: Discuss motivating factors for the work we do as trauma providers; Recognize your own signs and symptoms of stress; Understand the impact of working with trauma survivors; and Discuss burnout, countertransference, compassion fatigue, vicarious traumatization, and critical incident stress.

(13 Contact Hours; 13 CE Credits for Psychologists; 13 PDHs for EAPs; 13 CE Hours for Calif. MFTs & LCSWs; 13 Contact Hours for National Certified Addiction Counselors; OR 1.3 General CEUs from UMBC)* Completion of “Stress Management for the Trauma Provider” and receipt of a certificate indicating full attendance (13 Contact Hours) qualifies as a class in ICISF’s Certificate of Specialized Training Program.

Day 1:(8:30 a.m - 4:30 p.m.)

• Definition of the “Stress Continuum”
• Profile of a Trauma Provider/Caregiver
• Exercises to assess the individual’s level of eustress
• Stress (unavoidable stress from everyday pressures)
• Compassion stress
• Burnout
• Explaining situational stress in personal terms
• Countertransference (trauma provider’s wounds triggered by victims)

Day 2:(8:30 a.m - 4:30 p.m.)

• Stress continuum and self-assessment exercises -Compassion Fatigue/Secondary PTSD - Why trauma providers are especially vulnerable to compassion fatigue - Vicarious traumatization (therapist’s inner experience resulting from empathetic engagement with client)
• Developing stress resilience
• Importance of social support for trauma providers
• Group exploration of personal stress experience
• Self-care tools to manage stress