Identifying and Alleviating Secondary Trauma Stress, Compassion Fatigue & Burnout

Description

Burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary trauma aren’t just professional risks—they’re deeply personal, showing up in the minds, bodies, and relationships of clinicians who care for others day in and day out. This course equips behavioral health professionals with essential tools for recognizing and addressing the silent injuries that often go untreated in our field.

Whether you’ve noticed your clinical spark dimming or are supporting colleagues on the edge of burnout, this course offers practical, evidence-informed strategies to regain balance and strengthen professional well-being.

Dr. Vanessa Snyder and Dr. Dan Sartor, both seasoned trauma specialists and faculty leaders at Richmont Graduate University, bring decades of clinical, academic, and supervisory experience to this training. Their expertise spans complex trauma, vicarious trauma, and resilience-building—making them uniquely qualified to guide participants through both conceptual understanding and real-world solutions.

Grounded in research and clinical wisdom, this course offers a structured approach to identifying symptoms of compassion fatigue, understanding underlying vulnerabilities, and implementing sustainable interventions through both in-person and telemental health practice.

Topics include differentiating STS, CF, BO, and VT; personal and systemic risk factors for professional distress; physiological impacts of stress; trauma-informed desensitization methods; and proven self-care standards. Participants will also explore evidence-based practices, including breathing techniques, journaling, EFT, and other creative modalities for stress management.

Key Takeaways:

• Clarify the distinctions among STS, CF, BO, and VT: Learn how to identify each construct and recognize their overlapping and unique features.

• Recognize risk and resilience factors: Understand your personal and professional vulnerabilities and how they impact your clinical presence.

• Apply practical interventions in telemental health: Gain tools you can implement immediately to support clients and protect your own well-being.

Why this course?

• Led by trusted trauma experts: Instructors Snyder and Sartor offer a rare blend of clinical depth, research knowledge, and accessible teaching style.

• Built for clinicians by clinicians: Every strategy shared in this course is drawn from firsthand experience supporting behavioral health professionals in the field.

• Exceeds typical CE offerings: Telehealth Certification Institute delivers not just continuing education—but the kind that makes a real difference in how you show up for yourself and your clients.

Learning Objectives:

• List symptoms and identify the differences and similarities of secondary traumatic stress STS, compassion fatigue CF, burnout BO, and vicarious trauma VT.

• Recognize personal and professional vulnerabilities to secondary traumatic stress and compassion fatigue.

• Develop interventions useful via Telemental health in working with those who are experiencing STS, CF, and BO.

This self-paced course offers not only a path to personal and professional restoration but also an invitation to reengage your empathy and clinical effectiveness with renewed clarity. We invite you to step into this training and strengthen the foundation from which your care flows.

Add this course to your cart to develop your skills, boost your confidence, and enhance your impact as a behavioral health professional.

Format and Access 

This is a non-interactive self-study course. Instruction consists of 3 hours of video instruction and a post-test.

Course Details

Availability: 

From the time of registration, you have six months to access the coursework.

Who Should Attend: 

This course is intended for clinicians who provide behavioral health services.

Teaching Methods: 

This is a non-interactive, self-study course. Teaching methods for this course include recorded lectures, videos, a post-test, and a course evaluation.

How to Attend: 

Course access and completion instructions.

Instructors and Disclosures

Instructors

About Vanessa Snyder, PhD

Vanessa Snyder is the Vice President of the Richmont Institute for Trauma & Recovery and is an Assistant Professor at Richmont Graduate University. She spearheaded the launch of the Richmont Trauma Center and now directs all clinical services. She is a practicing Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Licensed Professional Counselor. She is also an AAMFT Approved Supervisor, Approved Clinical Supervisor, Certified Sex Therapist, Certified Master Traumatologist, and Certified Anger Management Specialist. Clinically, she specializes in treatment of trauma, complex trauma, and dissociative disorders. 

About Dan Sartor, PhD, LPC, NCC

Dan Sartor is the Vice President of Integration and Professor of Counseling at Richmont Graduate University in Atlanta, GA. He is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist (IL & GA), Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (IL), and Nationally Board Certified Counselor. In addition to addressing issues of depression, anxiety, and grief in psychotherapy, Dan’s clinical specialties include complex trauma recovery, sexuality issues, addiction recovery, marital therapy, and the integration of Christian faith with clinical practice.

Disclosure Statement: 

The instructor(s) for this course receive compensation for their services. There are no reported conflicts of interest to disclose.

CE Hours

Credit Hours: 

This course consists of 3 continuing education hours of credits.

Counselors:

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No, 6693.  Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified.  Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs. 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Mental Health Counselors. #MHC-0048.

Marriage and Family Therapists: 

Many MFT licensing boards accept our courses or one of the approvals which we have from professional associations.  You can check with your board to determine if your licensing board would accept this course.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed marriage and family therapists #MFT-0135, effective May 8, 2025.

Social Workers:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, #1609, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 05/02/2024 – 05/02/2027. Social workers completing this course receive 3 clinical continuing education credits.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Social Workers #SW-0435.

Addiction Professionals:

This course has been approved by Telehealth Certification Institute LLC, as a NAADAC Approved Education Provider, for educational credits. NAADAC Provider #193104, Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is responsible for all aspects of the programming.

Psychologists:

Telehealth Certification Institute LLC is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Telehealth Certification Institute LLC maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Psychology as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Psychologists #PSY-0128.

Art Therapists: 

Telehealth Certification Institute, LLC is recognized by the New York State Education Department's State Board for Mental Health Practitioners as an approved provider of continuing education for Licensed Creative Arts Therapists #CAT-0093.

Other Professionals:

This course qualifies for 180 minutes of instructional content as required by many national, state and local licensing boards and professional organizations.  Retain your certificate of completion and contact your board or organization for specific filing requirements.

Accommodations and Policies

Close Captioning is available for live webinars and recorded video presentations.

You can click on the following links to view our policies:

• Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities.
• Cancellation Policy
• Grievance Policy
• Support Options
• Disclosure Statement