Self Care for the Advocate: Recognizing and Preventing Burn-Out and Compassion Fatigue
Advocacy Series
Training
Course Description
The key to good advocacy is relationship-building - establishing a rapport, practicing active listening, and being present for survivors of domestic violence. Opening ourselves up to someone else's pain and trauma takes a toll on our own emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. Not taking care of ourselves can have a negative impact on our health and personal life, and compassion fatigue and burnout can have a negative impact on the survivors we work with.
However, just being told to "practice self-care" is not enough. In this webinar we will explore the differences between burn-out, compassion fatigue, and vicarious trauma. We will discuss the impact of all of these issues on our ability to effectively advocate for survivors. And finally, we will identify concrete practices and policies for both the individual advocate and the organization as a whole to prevent and heal from burn-out and vicarious trauma.
Continuing Education Hours: 1.5
This webinar has been approved by the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council for 1.5 CEUs for advocates working in Georgia's state-certified domestic violence programs.
Objectives
After attending this workshop, participants will be able to:
- Define burn-out, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma and identify the sources of each issue
- Understand the importance of self-care and burn-out prevention in establishing positive relationships and rapport with survivors
- Identify steps that the individual advocate and the organization can take to prevent and heal from burn-out, compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma
Indended Audience
Advocates and administrative staff of state-certified and community based domestic violence service programs in Georgia, as well as allied professionals working with families experiencing domestic violence.