Beyond Self-Care: The Importance of Wellness in the Workplace

When we are exposed to the suffering of others through our work, we are affected. Helping professionals are facing numerous challenges that can result in secondary traumatic stress, and the deterioration of emotional wellness, physical health, and relationships. This workshop will describe trauma and the biological stress response in order to normalize and de-stigmatize secondary trauma that results from exposure in our work. It will a provide an overview of symptoms of secondary traumatic stress and vicarious trauma, and the ways in which this toll can impact staff both professionally and personally. We will define resilience as a learned skill that buffers the effects of secondary traumatic stress, and explore personal and organizational wellness practices for managing stress arising from the challenges faced through our work.

Objectives:
• Participants will learn about the neuroscience of trauma and stress and the toll that trauma exposure can take physically and emotionally.
• Participants will be able to identify signs of work-related stress, secondary trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder in oneself and others.
• Participants will develop a stronger understanding of trauma-informed self-care, including both individual and organizational practices, that promote employee resilience and wellness.
• Participants will learn personal wellness strategies aligned with the National Wellness Institute’s dimensions of wellness to help reduce and manage stress associated with burnout, secondary trauma, and primary trauma associated with their work.

Target Audience: Youth-serving professionals, administrators, teachers, social workers, counselors, case managers and more.