Hope for the Heavy Heart: Recognizing and Healing Secondary Traumatic Stress

The ability to professionally care for those impacted by trauma requires compassion, empathy, and skill. These strengths also make us tenderly susceptible to Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS). Come share in a community learning environment where we will acquaint ourselves with what STS is (and is not) as we explore the ways in which holding and witnessing suffering in our work can show up in our personal and professional lives. Using quiet individual reflective opportunities, small group activities, case vignettes and large group learning, we will discuss how to notice STS in ourselves, our colleagues, and our work from a place of both risk and wellness. More importantly, we will consider how to mitigate the impact of STS and find hope amid the suffering.