Trauma 103: Recognizing Vicarious & Secondary Trauma for Professionals
PART 1: VIRTUAL TRAINING | The emotional and physical cost of being an engaged and empathetic caregiver can be an occupational hazard. Considering the potential impact of vicarious and secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout, caregivers are provided with critical steps in identifying signs and symptoms of each.
Additionally, practical skills and a commitment to self-care are an integral part of this interactive workshop.
PART 2 | IN-PERSON APPLIED LEARNING CIRCLE (ALC) | In this workshop, we will integrate the themes and tools from Trauma 103 into our work and lives through guided reflection, experiential learning, and applied practice to strengthen participants’ use of trauma-informed approaches.
Part 1: Virtual Training
Thursday, November 19, 10:00am-12:00pm
ZoomPart 2: In-person ALC (Optional, But Strongly Recommended)
Friday, November 20, 10:00am-12:00pm
Lakeside Global Institute, North Wales, PA
Who Is This For?
Trauma workshops are free and open to all Bucks-Mont Collaborative member organizations – staff, board members, volunteers, and other stakeholders – and Foundations Community Partnership grantees. Not sure if your organization is a member? View the network.
If you are not a current member, please contact Nadja Mummery.
What You’ll Takeaway
- Caregiver strain is a recognized occupational hazard. Deep engagement and empathy come with real physical and emotional risks—such as vicarious trauma, secondary trauma, compassion fatigue, and burnout—making early identification of these warning signs crucial for professionals.
- Proactive self-care is essential, not optional. Protecting well-being requires more than just awareness; professionals must build practical skills and make a concrete commitment to self-care practices to sustain their work and health over time.
- A certificate of completion for your professional development records and free CEU credits through Gwynedd Mercy University.
Meet the Trainers
Melissa Groden
Human Services Practitioner
The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc.
Melissa is a Human Service Professional with 29 years of experience in the field. She engages in a person-centered approach to support, educate, and empower those in need.
She has worked at The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, Inc. for seventeen years, overseeing the Prevention, School Services, and Training Programs, and has also been an adjunct professor at Chestnut Hill College for seventeen years, instructing and writing curricula in both classroom and hybrid formats for the School of Continuing and Professional Studies.
Melissa is a Human Services – Board Certified Practitioner, Certified Family Recovery Specialist, Adjunct Trainer for Lakeside Global Institute, and a Certified Trainer in the Pennsylvania Student Assistance Program and Youth Mental Health First Aid. She holds a master’s degree in administration of human services from Chestnut Hill College with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, and a minor in criminal justice, from Temple University. Melissa is currently a Psy.D. student in behavioral health leadership with a focus on industrial and organizational psychology.
Deb Harris
Geriatric Counselor
Family Services of Montgomery County
Deborah Harris has been in the social services field for twenty-five years. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, and in her current position she is a Geriatric Counselor with Family Services of Montgomery County. Prior to this she has worked in the areas of substance abuse treatment for teens, community mental health, and in a college student counseling center.
She has also been involved in research on childcare quality, AmeriCorps Vista, and Adult Literacy. With her varied experience, she has found that trauma impacts us in all life stages. She is looking forward to the opportunity to be a Trauma Workshop instructor as she enjoys teaching and leading groups and believes it will be a meaningful experience to assist others in learning how to recognize and handle trauma when it comes up in our work lives.