Course curriculum

    1. How to use this course

    1. About the Instructor

    2. Course FAQ

    1. Ethical Importance of Managing Vicarious Trauma

    1. Evaluation

About this course

  • 5 lessons

Course Description

Vicarious trauma is an occupational reality for professionals who engage deeply with others’ pain, adversity, and lived experiences. This webinar examines the ethical importance of recognizing, preventing, and responding to vicarious trauma within helping and care-oriented professions. Participants will explore how unmanaged vicarious trauma can compromise clinical judgment, professional boundaries, decision-making, and overall quality of care—raising significant ethical concerns related to competence, nonmaleficence, and professional responsibility.

Through an ethics-informed and trauma-responsive lens, this course will review the signs and impact of vicarious trauma at the individual and organizational levels, with particular attention to how cultural context, workload, and systemic pressures can exacerbate risk. Participants will be guided in identifying ethical obligations outlined in professional codes of conduct and translating them into practical strategies for self-monitoring, supervision, peer support, and sustainable practice. This webinar emphasizes that managing vicarious trauma is not a personal weakness, but an ethical imperative essential to maintaining integrity, effectiveness, and longevity in the work.

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to ...

Define and Identify the symptoms and ethical implications of vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress in mental health professionals.

Apply and utilize grounding techniques and other strategies to mitigate the effects of vicarious trauma and improve emotional regulation.

Conduct a self-assessment and create a personalized plan to promote professional longevity and resilience.

Explain the ethical responsibilities in addressing vicarious trauma and how it impacts therapeutic relationships and professional conduct.

Summarize and evaluate the importance of maintaining professional boundaries to prevent secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue.

Outline:

0:00-0:05- Trainer intro, objectives, and agenda

0:05-0:15-Definition and distinctions between vicarious trauma, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress.

0:15-0:25-Ethical implications of unaddressed vicarious trauma.

0:25-0:35-Signs and Symptoms of Vicarious Trauma

0:35-0:45-How vicarious trauma can compromise professional judgment and empathy?

0:45-0:55-Establishing and maintaining professional boundaries as a preventive measure.

0:55-1:05-Overview of effective grounding techniques (e.g., 5-4-3-2-1, breathing exercises).

1:05-1:15-Closing, Q&A, Evaluations



Lead Trainer

Executive Director Sharea Farmer, LCSW

Sharea Farmer is the Founder and Executive Director of RS Counseling & Wellness with over 20 years of experience as a licensed clinical social worker. Her expertise in both clinical and administration has allowed her to work in the private and public sectors as an advocate for employee wellness, Diversity & Inclusion, Race Equity, and Trauma-Informed Practices. Her unique practice that focuses on empowerment and education creates transformative wellness for her clients that range from executive leadership teams to supervisors to staff. RS Wellness has developed employee resilience plans and trauma-informed care programs for state and public health agencies, as well as educational groups, both locally and nationally. Sharea received a BA in Sociology from Rider University and a Master’s of Social Work from Rutgers. She is an adjunct professor at Rutgers where she’s been teaching since 2014. She is on the World Childhood Foundation Advisory Board for a two-year term from 2021-2023. On the board, she’ll have the chance to use the Equity & Inclusion lens to determine program eligibility for funding in the area of preventing sexual exploitation and abuse of children. Sharea lives in New Jersey with her husband. She enjoys all things basketball, live NBA games, traveling, coloring, and spending time with family and friends. Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the States of New Jersey #44SC05650200

Certificates will be awarded after completion of the full Webinar and course evaluation.

Radiant Sunshine, #1403, is approved to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Organizations, not individual courses, are approved as ACE providers. State and provincial regulatory boards have the final authority to determine whether an individual course may be accepted for continuing education credit. Radiant Sunshine maintains responsibility for this course. ACE provider approval period: 2/28/23 to 2/28/2026  Social workers completing this course receive 3-clinical continuing education credits. 

Find out whether your state or province accepts ACE approval.

Approved Continuing Education Provider (ACEP):

Radiant Sunshine has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7371. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.

Select your state to find continuing education requirements.

REQUIREMENTS BY STATE 

STATE BOARD INFORMATION

Refund Policy:   No refund will be given for the purchase of any course or webinar. 

 We accommodate persons with disabilities. Please email [email protected] for more information if disability accommodations are needed.

For more information contact: [email protected]

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