The continuing education events displayed below cover the topic of compassion fatigue, sometimes referred to as secondary or vicarious trauma. Register today to view an upcoming event or earn CE credits by viewing a homestudy course at any time.
The concept of self-care, particularly for mental health professionals, may be overlooked when considering the duties of an individual in the helping professions. But if not addressed and treated, compassion fatigue, which often comes hand-in-hand with burnout, can make it difficult for therapists to provide care to those in need.
Awareness and education are key when it comes to preventing compassion fatigue—which, although not always possible, may be easier in the long run than recovering from it. A 2017 study on compassion fatigue in mental health professionals found that empathy and having a history of trauma were risk factors for developing compassion fatigue, but that mindfulness and certain cognitive coping styles may be effective in preventing it.
GoodTherapy provides mental health professionals with a variety of continuing education courses on compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, secondary trauma, and burnout. A few topics include recognizing signs of compassion fatigue, preventing burnout, and coping with overwhelm.
Increasing your own awareness of how compassion fatigue may affect you can be critical to maintaining your own mental health as a professional as well as continuing to provide good therapy to the people you help. Sign up for a live, online continuing education event or watch a homestudy course today.
Reference:
Turgoose, D., & Maddox, L. (2017). Predictors of compassion fatigue in mental health professionals: A narrative review. Traumatology, 23(2), 172–185. Retrieved from https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017-09426-001
