Virtual 1 CE hour Micro-courses are offered 2nd Wednesday monthly 12:00-1:00pm.

Description:

This training explores the impact of repeated exposure to clients’ trauma narratives among mental health professionals and the ways this exposure can contribute to secondary traumatic stress (STS). Participants will examine how hearing and holding the experiences of others can influence emotional, cognitive, and professional functioning. The session will also highlight the role of reflective practice, professional dialogue, and intentional sharing of clinical experiences as strategies to process exposure and reduce the impact of STS. Emphasis will be placed on fostering awareness, normalization, and supportive practices that promote resilience and sustainability within the helping professions.

Objectives:

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Define secondary traumatic stress and describe how exposure to clients’ trauma narratives can impact mental health professionals.
• Identify common signs and symptoms of secondary traumatic stress within the helping professions.
• Explain the role of reflective processing and professional dialogue in mitigating the effects of trauma exposure.
• Apply strategies for safely sharing and processing professional experiences to support resilience and reduce the impact of secondary traumatic stress.

Featuring: Dr. Danielle Hudak, DSW, LCSW-C, CEAP, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Doctor of Social Work, currently serving as the lead for Meritus Health’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP). In this role, she provides comprehensive mental health support to the Meritus Health system, Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine, and multiple contracted community sites, tailoring EAP and Student Assistance Program (SAP) services to organizational needs, analyzing program outcomes, and fostering a culture of wellness across multiple settings.

Dr. Hudak specializes in the treatment of trauma and the effects of secondary traumatic stress, burnout, and compassion fatigue among helping professionals. Her experience spans state-level child welfare, federal service with Veterans Affairs, and community mental health. In addition, she teaches in Salisbury University’s Social Work program, mentoring and supporting the development of the next generation of social work professionals.

Course Format: Virtual – Course link and handouts will be provided to registrants prior to the course.

With gratitude, Brook Lane acknowledges that this program is funded in part by the William B. and Sylvia A. Hunsberger Fund.