What Do You Do When the Thrill Is Gone?
Debbie Lassiter, DDiv | September 23 | 3:15-4:15 PM
Topic: Direct Service, Conceptual | Knowledge Level: Beginner
Service providers or caregivers to people with the lived experience of human trafficking need tools to effectively manage their own trauma. Often, the service providers have lived experience, and many times, they are allies that do not have the experience. In either case, the toll that is taken on service providers as well as the individuals themselves can leave them depleted, which often leads to burn-out or vicarious trauma. You love what you do, but you need to take care of yourself to re-energize for the next level. This session will help you identify where you are and give you tools to re-enforce and rebuild your personal resilience. You cannot feed anyone from an empty plate. It is important for you to learn how to digest what you hear, manage the effect it has on you, and develop a plan to recover. Self-care is not a luxury, it is an absolute necessity. The American Psychological Association published “Self-care has never been more important” in July 2020 encouraging service providers to take care of themselves. The first line on the National Association for Mental Health’s page titled “Taking Care of Yourself” states - “To be able to care for the people you love, you must first take care of yourself”. We often overlook self-care or think it is unimportant. Building personal resilience is a must to help us keep moving forward and providing effective care. You need to take make taking care of yourself a priority.
Presentation Objectives:
· Describe the stages of Compassion Fatigue
· Explain the importance of self-care
· Provide instruction, examples, and tools to establish a self-care program/routine