When the well is dry: Compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and self-care

Presented by SickKids CCMH Learning Institute

Date: March 30, 2026
Time: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET
Facilitator: Cleo Haber, BSW, MSW, RSW.

Description: This training is designed for anyone working in the helping professions, personal caregivers or anyone with an interest in the areas of compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma and self-care.

Participants of this training will learn to distinguish between compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma and burnout. They will learn how to identify the early warning signs and symptoms to determine what they are struggling with.

The facilitator will go over strategies to address compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma and burnout as well as how to promote resilience and self-care. All participants will leave the webinar having crafted their own wellness plan. 
The the training will make use of small group and large group discussions, experiential practice and didactic teaching methods.

Overview:

• Discuss and define terms: compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma, and burnout.
• Complete self-assessment tools to determine participants own compassion satisfaction, stress and fatigue.
• Teach warning signs of compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma, understand contributing factors and how your job is impacting you. Understanding toxic workplace factors. Review strategies for addressing compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma.
• Teach the four-steps to wellness (F. Mathieu):
  • Take stock: tracking stressors at work and at home.
  • Enhance self-care/work-life balance; understanding the basics of self-care (sleep, rest, proper diet, exercise, vacations, renewal activities, nourishing activities, access to regular debriefing process).
  • Develop resiliency skills: relaxation training, stress-reduction techniques.
  • Make a commitment to change.
• Small/large group discussion; trouble-shooting barriers participants encounter when developing their self-care and resiliency skills.
• Experiential exercises: guided meditations and relaxation exercises.
• Teach restorative practices to weave through the work day: practices for the typical work day, practices for grounding, practices for energizing and practices for relaxing.
• Exercise: participants will work on developing their own wellness plan to take away by the end of the webinar.
  
  Learning objectives:
• Define compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma and burnout and discuss how they look and feel.
• Understand the risk factors for compassion fatigue, vicarious trauma and burnout.
• Utilize individual self-assessment tools to reflect on their own compassion satisfaction, stress and fatigue.
• Share and discuss a variety of self-care strategies to develop their own wellness and resiliency plans.

Registration fee: General - $300  |  Student and group rates are available

For full program overview and registration details please visit: https://cvent.me/kE0KWk

Facilitator Bio:
Cleo Haber, BSW, RSW, MSW obtained her Masters of Social Work at Hunter College School of Social Work in New York City. For over 20 years, she has been a social worker specializing in mental health, working with individuals, couples, and groups. In her current practice, she provides individual and couple psychotherapy and facilitates emotion-focused mindfulness therapy (EFMT) groups.

For the past 10 years she has taught family medicine residents psychotherapy skills. She was part of the faculty in the Interviewing and Communication Skills curriculum and Wellness curriculum for family medicine residents and has conducted clinical research at the Mount Sinai Academic Family Health Team.

She has certifications and training in emotion-focused mindfulness therapy (EFMT), emotion-focused therapy (EFT), emotionally-focused couples therapy, interpersonal therapy, internal family systems therapy and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).

Cleo is the retreat manager at the annual EFMT meditation retreat and is also a Yoga Alliance certified yoga instructor! 

Continuing Education (CE) information: 6 CE hours