Human services professionals are often placed in career paths that require them to help their clients during some of the most intense and challenging times in their lives. This dedication to serve may lead to long hours and extensive use of self that causes vicarious trauma effects and limited self-care.
How can social workers, counselors and youth service providers effectively battle burnout and maintain the love of direct practice? Practitioners will learn about the phenomenon of burnout, gain awareness of the impact vicarious trauma on client focused service delivery, and identify self-care strategies for minimizing the effects of burnout. Interactive group work will provide hands-on opportunities to practice self-management so that those who are served can experience professionals at their best.
Learning Objectives:
- Recognize the impact of burnout on professionals, the workplace, and clients
- Understand the signs and symptoms of burnout and vicarious trauma and identify
personal triggers for emotional distress - Identify strategies to “reset”, build competence and compassion, and minimize
the effects of burnout - Develop a personal action plan which results in creating a calm work life balance
About the Presenter:
Paula Sherman, LICSW, LCSW-C
Paula Sherman is a clinically licensed Social Worker with a background working and building relationships with underserved youth and families and the professionals who interact with these populations daily. An experienced child welfare professional, Paula recognizes the implications for maintaining an emotionally healthy workforce that is prepared to address the high intensity workload with work-life balance. Ms. Sherman is Event Header Photo – attached separately the Administrator of a large foster care and adoption program in the DC metropolitan received her master’s degree in social work from the University of Maryland – Baltimore.
Continuing Education:
This program is Approved by the National Association of Social Workers (Approval # 886842050-7173) for 3 continuing education contact hours.
