Secondary Traumatic Stress and Vicarious Trauma: Helping Parents with Children Experiencing Trauma and Mental Illness
Presented by Ashley McGurkin, LCSW and Ellen Herbert, LCSW
2 CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS
BASE is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. BASE maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
DESCRIPTION
The emotional duress that results when a professional hears about and or witnesses the firsthand trauma experiences of another has been rigorously researched and established as a hazard of the caring professions (Lalayants, 2021). Various terms such as vicarious trauma (VT), secondary traumatic stress (STS), compassion fatigue, and burnout fall under the umbrella of empathy-based stress responses and clinicians are wise to be aware of and attend to their psychological, emotional and physiological responses to their work (Rauvola et al., 2019). While these terms were established through the lived experiences of and research involving helping professionals, parents of children who have experienced trauma are also vulnerable to experiencing STS and/or VT which could ultimately impact their ability to parent effectively and consistently (Wilcoxon et al., 2021). The strain and impacts upon parents of acute episodic or long-term mental health struggles in children and adolescents are consistent with the continuum of trauma responses (Wilcoxon et al., 2021) and engaging parents to address their own responses is crucial to treat a minor client with trauma efficaciously (Sluys et al., 2015).
In this continuing education program, clinicians will learn how to recognize the signs of direct trauma and/or an empathy-based stress response within parents, differentiate between these conditions and best-practice treatment recommendations and interventions, and bring these concepts into discussions with parents in a non-shaming and supportive manner. Attendees will learn how to work supportively with parents demonstrating signs of vicarious and/or secondary traumatic stress and assist parents in recognizing when it is impacting their parenting skills and ability to support their children. Attendees will leave with concrete language and interventions to guide parents back into their resilience zone, allowing them to resume being an effective parent and support to a child with a mental health condition.
LEARNING OBJECTIONS
Based on the content of this workshop, you will be able to:
·Define Secondary Traumatic Stress (STS) and Vicarious Trauma.
·Identify signs of STS and VT and assess parents' behaviors through a trauma informed lens.
·Identify and discuss the impact of stress response on families and protective and risk factors within families.
·Apply skills to assist parents in the management and reduction of STS/VT.
AUDIENCE
This program is appropriate for licensed psychologists and other mental health practitioners who work with adolescents and/or parents and would like to learn strategies to help parents support their children with mental health conditions as well as identify and work through their own secondary traumatic stress and vicarious trauma. Training is at an introductory level.
RESOURCES
Bridger, K. M., Binder, J. F., & Blerina, K. (2020). Secondary traumatic stress in foster carers: Risk factors and implications for intervention. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 29(2), 482-492. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10826-019-01668-2
Deblinger, E., Pollio, E., Cooper, B. et al. (2020). Disseminating Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with a Systematic Self-care Approach to Addressing Secondary Traumatic Stress: PRACTICE What You Preach. Community Mental Health Journal, 56, 1531–1543. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10597-020-00602-x
Hiller, R.M., Halligan, S.L., Ariyanayagam, R., Dalgleish, T., Smith, P., Yule, W., Glucksman, E., Watson, P., & Meiser-Stedman, R. (2016). Predictors of Posttraumatic Stress Symptom Trajectories in Parents of Children Exposed to Motor Vehicle Collisions. Journal of Pediatric Psychology, 41(1), 108–116. https://doi.org/10.1093/jpepsy/jsv068
Lalayants, M. (2021). Secondary traumatic stress among parent advocates in child welfare. Journal of Family Social Work, (24)5, 341-362. https://doi.org/10.1080/10522158.2021.2003921
Mastorakos, T., Bambrah, V. & Muller, R.T. (2021). What About the Parents? Changes in and Correlates of Parents’ Discrete Emotional Reactions to their Child’s Trauma in Trauma Therapy. Journal of Family Violence, 36, 1095–1106. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10896-021-00306-0
Rauvola, R.S., Vega, D.M. & Lavigne, K.N. (2019). Compassion Fatigue, Secondary Traumatic Stress, and Vicarious Traumatization: a Qualitative Review and Research Agenda. Occupational Health Science, 3, 297–336. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41542-019-00045-1
Salloum, A., Stover, C. S., Swaidan, V. R., & Storch, E. A. (2015). Parent and child PTSD and parent depression in relation to parenting stress among trauma-exposed children. Journal of Child and Family Studies, 24(5), 1203-1212. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10826-014-9928-1
Sluys, K.P., Lannge, M., Iselius, L., & Eriksson, L.E. (2015). Six years beyond pediatric trauma: child and parental ratings of children’s health-related quality of life in relation to parental mental health. Quality of Life Researcg, 24, 2689–2699. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11136-015-1002-y
Wilcoxon, L .A., Meiser-Stedman, R. & Burgess, A. (2021). Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in Parents Following Their Child’s Single-Event Trauma: A Meta-Analysis of Prevalence Rates and Risk Factor Correlates. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 24, 725–743. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-021-00367-z
PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES
There is no commercial support for this CE program, instructor, content of instruction, or any other relationship that could be construed as a conflict of interest. There is no endorsement of products.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Cancellations will be accepted and payments refunded in full up to two (2) weeks prior to any training event. Following two weeks prior to the event, a credit for future trainings matching the amount already paid for that event’s registration will be given to registrants who cancel their registration, for whatever reason, up to two (2) days prior to the event date. This credit can only be applied to one future training, regardless of its cost. If the cost of the future training is less than the amount paid, the difference will be lost. If the cost of the future training is greater than the credit, then the balance will become due at registration time. If a registrant cancels or no-shows within two days of the event date, a refund will not be given.
LOCATION
BASE Office: 1515 Mockingbird Lane, Suite 580, Charlotte, NC 28209
ACCESSIBILITY
BASE strives to ensure that each CE program is accessible to all participants. If you would like any accommodations, please contact us at 704-910-8381.
QUESTIONS
Please contact us at info@findyourbase.com or 704-910-8381 if you have any questions or grievances about the program.
WAITLIST
If this program is full, please email us at info@findyourbase.com to indicate your interest. If someone cancels we will contact you.