Compassion Fatigue Solutions

With Dr. Robert Buckman and Dr. Kathleen Corcoran

Friday, October 29^th, 2010

William Osler Health System - Mental Health and Addictions Program

Dr. Robert Buckman

DR. ROBERT BUCKMAN lives in Toronto, Canada, where he is a medical oncologist at the Princess Margaret Hospital, and Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto. He qualified as a physician from Cambridge University in 1972, and completed his training in medical oncology at The Royal Marsden Hospital in London including laboratory research leading to a Ph.D. He emigrated to Toronto in 1985. He has written many articles on various aspects of medicine and oncology, concentrating in the last fifteen years on doctor-patient communication and breaking bad news. In 1994 he was made Canadian Humanist of the year, and in 2003 received the Fleming medal of the Royal Canadian Institute for the Advancement of Science.

Dr. Kathleen Corcoran

Dr. Kathleen Corcoran is the Director of Training, Psychology Internship Program at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), responsible for overseeing the APA/CPA accredited internship program in Psychology. She has her PhD is Clinical Psychology from the University of British Columbia and practices as a Psychologist privately as well as with the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Clinic, Mood and Anxiety Program at CAMH. In addition, she is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Psychiatry.

For more information please contact: theresa.riehl@williamoslerhs.ca

Public Service Announcement

New Solutions in the Treatment of Trauma Dissociation with Dr Janina Fisher
November 8th and 9th, 2010. London, Ontario.

Treating the legacy of childhood trauma and neglect is not simple for even the most experienced clinician. The work is frequently complicated by dissociation-related challenges including shifting states of consciousness, paradoxical responses to treatment, autonomic dysregulation and impulsivity, problems with memory and continuity, shame and selfsabotage, and crises in the therapeutic alliance.

This workshop will offer a conceptual model for treating the effects of trauma and dissociation and present techniques to engage clients who are resistant, overwhelmed, impulsive, preoccupied with internal stimuli and unable to effectively process verbal input. These verbal and somatic approaches emphasize present moment experience and help clients to better integrate the therapeutic work by fostering internal coherence and mindfulness and strengthening capacities to deal with the challenges of daily life. Because they are inherently stabilizing they are appropriate for clients presenting with any trauma-related diagnosis, including Borderline Personality Disorder and bipolar disorder as well as Dissociative Identity Disorder and other Dissociative Disorders.


Dr. Janina Fisher is an Instructor and Senior Supervisor at The Trauma Centre, an outpatient clinic founded and directed by Bessel van der Kolk, and maintains a private practice in psychotherapy and consultation in the Boston area. She is also an EMDR International Association Consultant, a trainer for the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute, past president of the New England Society for the Treatment of Trauma and Dissociation, and a former Instructor in Psychology, Harvard Medical School. Dr. Fisher lectures and teaches nationally and internationally on topics related to trauma, dissociation, and the integration of the neurobiological research into clinical practice.

This workshop will enable participants to:

− Develop their understanding of dissociative phenomena, including the differences between “state” versus “trait” dissociative symptoms.
− Utilize mindfulness techniques to counteract dissociation-related symptoms and impulsivity.
− Employ cognitive and body-centered techniques that decrease regression and resistance in therapy.

Cost: $245 plus HST

For more information contact Solutions On Site at 519-640-2030 or Visit www.SOSWorkshops.ca for details

September 30-October 2, 2010, Toronto.

In addition to 30 conference workshops to choose from, ATSS has arranged for opportunities to network and socialize with colleagues and friends. The President's Luncheon will give attendees an opportunity to learn more about ATSS and its future.

A sample of some of the presenters:

Creative Tools for Transforming Compassion Fatigue and Vicarious Trauma - Françoise Mathieu
Meditation, Mindfulness, and Right-Brain Healing in the Trauma Crucible - Dawn Bret
Voices of Experience - Priscilla de Villiers, Kent Laidlaw and Edward Leonard
CISM in the Correctional Service of Canada - Pamela Scott and Dorothy Reid
Question and Answer Session: Preventing and Healing Compassion Fatigue - Dr Angie Panos
Keynote address by Lt. Col. Stephane Grenier MSC, CD -Operational Stress Injury (OSI) - Special Advisor, Ottawa Canada
and many more.

For more information click here.

Three day coaching workshop in Ottawa: June 21st, 22nd and 23rd, 2010
with Hélène Beauchemin, Professionally certified Integral coach

A great training opportunity for:

● Anyone intrigued by the possibility of having a positive impact on others through coaching;
● Managers, Human Resource professionals and Organizational Development practitioners who are regularly called upon to solve problems that could be more effectively handled by developing others’ competence;
● Independent professionals, consultants and coaches interested in bringing greater skill to their one-on –one conversations with clients;
● Therapists and social workers interested in building coaching competence;
● People considering applying for either the New Ventures West or the Canadian based Convivium© (www.convivium.com) Professional Coaching Course.

Here is information about this training from the presenter and organiser, Hélène Beauchemin (aka my mom!)

Coaching To Excellence

This coming June 21st, 22nd and 23rd, I will be offering a three-day coaching workshop here in Ottawa. Whereas Coaching To Excellence was previously a two day affair, the new three day format is much more complete and leaves participants with more capacities and confidence in applying coaching approaches in their every day relationships.

In this workshop participants are introduced to the principles and methods of James Flaherty’s New Ventures West successful approach to coaching and to human development (see www.newventureswest.com). The program allows for coaching experience that is applicable to the participants’ work place or current coaching practice, and their broader lives. Through structured exercises, demonstrations and simulations, we will explore together what it takes to evoke long-term excellence in others.

What Outcomes Will the Course Produce?

Developing excellence as a coach takes time, study and practice. Nonetheless, this three-day workshop will allow you to:

● Understand the key stages in any coaching relationship and the skills needed to guide clients through them;
● Recognize when someone is open to coaching and how to enroll them in a coaching relationship;
● Observe and listen to others in a profound way by paying attention, to their unique language, emotional mood, and way of interpreting the world;
● Assess your own competence as a coach and identify the next steps in your development;
● Open new possibilities for effective action in your work and in your life.

What Happens in the Course?
The course provides both conceptual frameworks and hands-on opportunities to put these frameworks into practice. After becoming familiar with New Ventures’ West unique methodology of Coaching, you will work individually with other participants in “trying on” the roles of coach and client. Then, through structured exercises, case studies and simulations, you will discover what is needed to intervene effectively in typical situations faced by coaches, managers and professionals each day. Finally, you will have the opportunity to work on a real- life “problem” situation from your life. You will learn to coach others in a way that results not only in resolving these problem, but also in them developing the competence to resolve it themselves in the future without your involvement.

Additional Benefit and Cost
This class satisfies the prerequisite for the Professional Coaching Course offered either in English or in French by New Ventures West and/or their associates, Convivium©. (www.convivium.com). The cost is $1200.00 plus taxes. Participants also receive a copy of the latest edition the James Flaherty’s book “Coaching To Excellence”.

Indication of Interest
Would you like to join us? Do you have a friend or colleague who would benefit from this offering? If so, I would appreciate you forwarding my message to them, or alternatively, sending us their email address so we can write to them directly.

An indication of interest by June 1, 2010 would be appreciated. Please write either to myself, Hélène Beauchemin at helenekathleen@rogers.com, or contact my assistant Barbara Best at barbara@hkbp.ca. A registration form including location information will then be sent to you.

Thank you for your interest, I look forward to getting your reactions, comments or questions about this workshop that I am anxious to share with colleagues in Ottawa.

What participants had to say after attending a Coaching To Excellence workshop:
“Very informative, enough material for everyone – experienced or rookies!”
“You made James’ book come alive.”
“A fantastic introduction to coaching and a solid methodology.”

Hélène Beauchemin, President HKBP Inc.

(Public Service Announcement)

CCPA is now offering members a way to attend professional development opportunities by offering a series of webinars. All webinars are eligible for continuing education credits (CEU). Enrolment is limited and registration is required. Additional dates and courses will be added on an on-going basis.

Webinar: Social Justice Interventions: 10 Ways to Make a Difference

Presenter: Christina Schmolke

Language:English

Date: Wednesday, June 2, 2010
 Time: 12pm-1pm ET

Cost: $50 CCPA members | $60 non members 
# of CEUs: 1

Webinar Description: Across Canada, thousands of individuals face barriers to improving their mental, emotional, and economic status. In an effort to address the environmental factors (e.g., poverty) that impede client well-being, a growing number of counsellors have become interested in social justice interventions. For counsellors, social justice interventions involve actions that are designed to improve the equitable distribution of resources and services. This may include advocacy, outreach, and prevention. This webinar focuses on helping counsellors integrate social justice interventions into their roles.

Webinar: Le potentiel des groupes au service du counseling

Presenter: Dr Jacques Limoges

Language: French

Date: Tuesday, June 8, 2010 
Time: 12pm-1pm ET

Cost: $50 CCPA members | $60 non members

# of CEUs: 1

Webinar Description: L’orientation et la gestion de carrière reposent, du début à la fin, sur l’interpersonnel. Même un bon bilan de soi ne peut se faire sans que le client réfère aux autres qui furent, qui seront ou qui sont. Logiquement donc c’est l’intervention groupale qui convient le mieux à ces enjeux, leur assurant une plus grande efficacité. Dans ce webinaire nous explorerons le potentiel groupal selon que l’objet de l’intervention ou du counseling groupal est l’extra (i.e. l’Information scolaire et professionnelle, la connaissance du marché du travail), l’intra (i.e. la connaissance de soi) ou l’interpersonnel (i.e. les compétences et l’action).

Webinar: Counselling in a Small World: Ethics in Rural & Remote Practice

Presenter : Judi L. Malone

Language: English

Date: Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Time: 12pm-1pm ET 
Cost: $50 CCPA members | $60 non members 
# of CEUs: 1

Webinar Description: Rural communities and their counselling needs have been changing. Certain ethical dilemmas can be more common or more complicated when practicing in rural, remote, or small communities. This presentation will review some of these specific to managing professional boundaries, community pressure, generalist practice, interdisciplinary collaboration, and attaining professional development. Join us to explore the context & ethical challenges of rural counselling practice, consider the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association’s Code of Ethics, and to share insight for dealing with the demographic and practice characteristics that may instigate ethical issues in rural practice.

Webinar: Exceptional Possibilities: Multiplying Client Exceptions Through Narrative Meaning-Making 

Presenter: David Paré, Ph.D.

Language: English
 Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2010
 Time: 12pm-1pm ET
Cost: $50 CCPA members | $60 non members 
# of CEUs: 1

Webinar Description: The “exception”—an instance when the problem is absent—is the cornerstone of Brief Solution Focused practice, a doorway into new realms of possibility where the problem is absent. This webinar explores how exceptions can be multiplied by joining clients in what Anthropologist Clifford Geertz called “thick description”. These practices are drawn from narrative therapy, which focuses on action, rather than behaviour—the difference being that actions are seen as expressions of agency, purposes, values, and intentions. These practices go beyond “do more of what works” to rich story development and the generation of multiple exceptions, the basis for future action.

To register or for more information go to www.ccpa-accp.ca/en/webinars or contact Roxanne@ccpa-accp.ca.

This free webinar came across my google alerts this morning:

March 3, 2010 - Compassion Fatigue
LCDR Pamela Herbig - Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner, Clinical Nurse Specialist and Director, Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences as Director of the PMH-NP program.

I don't know the organisers or the presenter, but Rocky Mountain Learning seems to be a really interesting agency who specialises in bringing training to folks through webinars and other distance learning modules.

As I gear up to leave my young kids for five days (nearly the longest ever), the idea of doing more and more web-based training is highly appealling to me, let alone the significant cost savings for all involved (no travel, no hotels, etc.)

So, if you're free on March 3, consider signing up for this training and let me know what you think, both of the content and the learning medium.

Are you a compassion fatigue/vicarious trauma educator and/or practitioner? Are you interested in sharing your ideas/new approaches to helping other helpers who are facing compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma? The Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists will be holding its annual conference September 29 – October 3, 2010 at the Delta Airport Hotel – Toronto, Canada.

Click here for more information.

Skating on a very frozen lake. Photo by Françoise Mathieu 2009

Happy New Year to you! I am back at work after two great weeks off. I had a chance to skate all over a beautiful lake in the Laurentians (after much safety testing, I should add), go ice fishing for the very first time -not entirely my cup of tea, but I have a seriously hooked (no pun intended) 9 year old and he was completely over the moon. He stayed out there for hours in the frigid cold and came in only when forced to. I don't really get it, but there you go. I also had a chance to catch up with friends and family, read books and eat a ton of shortbread. Yum.

I wanted to tell you about some upcoming events that may be of interest to you.

Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Course With Sandy Williams - OTTAWA

Wednesdays February 24th to April 14th 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. Full Day: Saturday April 10th 9:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Location: Fourth Avenue Baptist Church (at Bank)

An 8-week program designed to support you to cope more effectively with stress through mindfulness meditation. Mindfulness is the practice of paying attention, to the present moment, with acceptance. This practice is beneficial as it can help you to gain a deeper understanding into your feelings, thoughts and beliefs. People come to the program seeking relief from family, work and financial stress, sleep disturbances, anxiety, headaches, fatigue, pain and illness. Others choose to participate because they want a better way to cope with the often out of control pace of their lives. The program is for anyone who would like to learn to relate consciously and compassionately to the challenges of everyday life. The group meets weekly for 2 1/2 hours with a full day session after the 7th week.

Cost: $425.00 (Includes 2 compact discs and handouts) Supplementary health insurance may apply.

Sandy Williams, MSW, RSW is a social worker leading Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction programs in the community. She has participated in the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction professional training with Jon Kabat-Zinn. She believes that our difficulties are “workable” and the practice of mindfulness supports us to take responsibility for our well- being and to do something for ourselves that no others can.

For information call Sandy at 613-371-0795 or email: sandra.williams@sympatico.ca

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CAST Canada: Addiction & Trauma - Consumer Panel: Workshop for General Helping Professionals

Friday, February 19th, 2010, 9:00 a.m - 4:00 p.m.
Barrie, ON ( Holiday Inn, Fairview Rd.)
Cost: $140 + gst Before February 28th ~ lunch not provided ~

For the past 4 years CAST Canada has held more than 60 Addiction & Trauma Consumer Panel workshops. Over 2,000 frontline workers have worked directly with CAST Canada volunteer consumers to identify unique, relevant ideas around what worked ( and what didn't ) in helping relationships. The learnings from this process will be available to you.

Who Should Attend?
You are a frontline worker or any general helping professional where your clients often have addiction and/or trauma issues. The day is popular with shelter, housing support, O.W. , ODSP, all outreach and Children's Aid workers, therapists, counselors, correctional and probation officers, professors, teachers, guidance counselors, EAP professionals, all hospital staff.

You will:
- Witness moving, open testimonials from consumers who have been helped by professionals
- Participate in highly interactive discussion
- Receive solid, safe and effective tools
- Interact with and learn from peers from other sectors and other areas

Some Themes:
"Role of Relapse" - Learn to discuss this volatile topic
"Nature of Cravings" - Simple to deliver, productive, builds relationship & empowers the client
"How do I ask? " - Asking hard questions around suspected substance abuse or trauma
"Roles, Goals & Boundaries" - Critical insights, easy implementation

Details and registration: CAST Canada Webpage

*The day is intended for 'general' helping professionals as opposed to addiction or trauma workers who find the tools and insight helpful but the introduction and background basic

Safeguards Training for Children and Adult Services is sponsoring four of my Compassion Fatigue workshops this Winter: Two in Markham and two in London. If you are a member of CMHO, OARTY, ONTCHILD/YPRO, ANCFSAO or Community Living Ontario, the price of these workshops is extremely low.

In addition, a non-sponsored version of these training sessions are being offered in Kingston. Visit my website for more details.

Walking the Walk: Creative Tools for Transforming Compassion Fatigue

January 18, 2010 - Holiday Inn & Suites, Toronto (Markham)
or
March 29, 2010 - Delta London Armouries, London, On.

Description
Françoise Mathieu, M.Ed., CCC.Certified Counsellor, Compassion Fatigue Specialist and Director of WHP will present this one day training (this will be followed by the Trainer-the-Trainer session so you can take this valuable training back to your agency.)

Compassion fatigue is characterized by deep emotional and physical exhaustion and by a shift in a helping professional's sense of hope and optimism about the future and the value of their work. It has been called "a disorder that affects those who do their work well" (Figley 1995). The level of compassion fatigue a helper experiences can ebb and flow from one day to the next, and even very healthy helpers with optimal life/work balance and self care strategies can experience a higher than normal level of compassion fatigue when they are overloaded, are working with a lot of traumatic content, or find their case load suddenly heavy with clients who are all chronically in crisis.

Compassion fatigue is a normal consequence of working in the helping field. The best strategy to address compassion fatigue is to develop excellent self care strategies, as well as an early warning system that lets the helper know that they are moving into the caution zone of Compassion Fatigue. This is a highly interactive one day workshop, incorporating a combination of solo, small group and whole group activities.

Registration Details & Fee(s):
Members: Training Fee: $0 plus $50 Admin Fee+GST
Non Members: Training Fee: $99 plus $50 Admin Fee+GST

To register click here

Compassion Fatigue Train the Trainer: 2 day course

January 19-20, 2010 - Holiday Inn & Suites, Markham
or
March 30-31, 2010 - Delta London Armouries, London

Description
Françoise Mathieu, M.Ed., CCC.Certified Counsellor, Compassion Fatigue Specialist and Director of WHP has designed a two day, intensive train-the-trainer retreat on Compassion Fatigue.

This train the trainer workshop offers tools, handouts, strategies, training material and marketing strategies to adapt Walking the Walk to your agency's specific needs (and to your own presentation style).

The train the trainer workshop is designed to take you deep first, to gain a true and thorough understanding of your own relationship to CF. Then you will learn the didactic details (what to teach, how to teach) and finally talk about the mechanics of the whole process (how to customize this for your own work needs/goals etc.).

Spaces limited to a maximum of 20 participants.Certificates of Completion will be provided

PREREQUISITES**
Prior attendance to the full day or half day workshop Walking the Walk is required. (You may have attended a session at your workplace, or in a different community in the recent past). For those who have not attended this workshop in the past, Walking the Walk will be offered on the day prior to this training. If you have attended Walking the Walk at an earlier date, please indicate when that was on your registration form.

Outcomes
You will Learn:
·How to use the Compassion Fatigue Workbook
·What are Compassion Fatigue, Caregiver Stress, Vicarious Traumatization and burnout
·Signs and symptoms of CF/VT/Burnout
· Assessment tools
· Warning signs
· Resiliency skills
· Self Care Strategies
· Academy of traumatology standards of Ethics
· How to offer psychoeducation on this topic
· Experiential activities that work with audiences
· How to design your own workshop: what is your target audience

Pricing
Member fee $52.50
Non-member fee $260.40

To register click here

For more information contact:
Contact Name: Donna Stevens
Contact Phone: (905) 889-5030
Contact Fax: (905) 889-7155
Contact Email: donna@safeguards-training.net

I am just back from Yellowknife where I presented at a conference organised by the Federal department of Justice called "Northern Responses and Approaches to Victims of Crime: Building on Strength and Resilience." Over 250 victim support workers from across Canada met for three days to share ideas, research findings and to connect with each other. This was the first meeting of its kind and it was, in my opinion, a complete success. I had the opportunity to meet victim assistance workers from all areas of Canada, from Whitehorse to Rankin Inlet to Thompson Manitoba to Kuujjuak (my childhood villlage) in Northern Quebec. I have been to many conferences over the years, and this was the friendliest, most well organised of them all.

Why hold a victim support conference with a special focus on the North? Here is some sobering data from the Policy Centre for Victims Issues (PCVI) press release:

"According to the 2004 General Social Survey, residents of the territories were three times more likely than provincial residents to experience a violent victimization such as sexual assault, robbery or physical assault (315 versus 106 incidents per 1,000 population). Residents of the North also experienced higher levels of spousal violence than their counterparts in the provinces.

Approximately 12% of northern residents reported being the victim of some form of violence at the hands of a current and/or previous spouse or common-law partner in the five years preceding the survey. This compares to 7% of the population in the provinces. Residents of Nunavut were also far more likely to have been victims of spousal violence (22%) than residents of the Northwest Territories (11%) and the Yukon Territory (9%).

Similarly, police-reported crime rates in the territories were substantially higher than rates in the rest of Canada. Specifically, in 2005, crime rates in the North were over four times higher than rates in the provinces (33,186 compared to 7,679 incidents per 100,000 population). In 2005, the Northwest Territories had the highest police-reported crime rate among the three territories at 41,245 incidents per 100,000 population. This rate was 1.3 times higher than the rate in Nunavut, 1.8 times higher than that in Yukon and nearly three times higher than that in Saskatchewan, the province with the highest provincial crime rate (14,320)."

We heard a captivating and reflective keynote address by Justice Gerald Morin, Deputy Judge of the Territorial Court of the NWT and creator of the Cree Court in Saskatchewan. We were also were incredibly fortunate to have an evening performance by Leela Gilday, an award-winning Yellowknife singer and songwriter. Leela's songs were deeply moving and her voice was incredible. I was very glad that my meek keynote address came before her and not after her powerful performance!

Conferences such as this one offer all of us the opportunity to stop for a few days (well not really stop, it was a jam-packed agenda and people were working hard) but certainly the chance to get out of the trenches to connect and reflect on the work that we do. I met some victim support workers who had some significant challenges in their own lives (dealing with fostering several children with fetal alcohol syndrome, to name just one) and the complexity of offering services in a remote community, where everyone knows you and where you are often the end of the line. To all of these workers, I offer my most sincere thanks for their warmth, their open hearts and their willingness to participate in the workshops I offered.

peonies from my garden. A brief burst of colour to start the summer.

Walking the Walk: Creative Tools for Transforming Compassion Fatigue
March 2nd, 2010 Donald Gordon Centre, Kingston, On., 8:30am-4:00pm

Instructor: Françoise Mathieu, M.Ed. CCC. Compassion Fatigue Specialist

Workshop Description: Compassion fatigue is a normal consequence of working in the helping field. The best strategy to address compassion fatigue is to develop excellent self care strategies, as well as an early warning system that lets the helper know that they are moving into the caution zone of Compassion Fatigue. This is a highly interactive one day workshop, incorporating a combination of solo, small group and whole group activities.

Topics covered will include: Understanding compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. Symptom checklist, targeting areas for strategic planning; Evaluating self-care, identifying triggers; Developing a personalised strategic plan for identifying and treating compassion fatigue.

*This workshop is also a prerequisite for the two day CF Train the Trainer workshop which will be offered immediately following the March 2nd training.

Who should attend? Helping professionals in the fields of mental health, health care, education, emergency services, corrections and law enforcement, volunteers and caregivers.

Cost: $165.00 (incl gst) includes lunch, breaks and handouts.


Compassion Fatigue Train the Trainer Retreat
March 3 & 4th 2010. Donald Gordon Centre, Kingston

Instructor: Françoise Mathieu, M.Ed. CCC. Compassion Fatigue Specialist

Workshop Description: This workshop offers tools, handouts, training material, strategies and marketing tips to adapt the one day Compassion Fatigue Workshop Walking the Walk to your community's specific needs (and to your own presentation style).

**Prerequisite: This workshop is aimed at helping professionals and educators in the helping fields. Prior attendance to full day or half day Walking the Walk is highly recommended. Walking the Walk will be offered on March 2, 2010. Please email whp at cogeco.ca for more information.

Cost: $598.00 (incl gst) which includes lunch, breaks, training manuals, power point presentation and handout templates. **Space is limited to 20 participants for this retreat.

More information and registration forms will be posted on the website next week

This workshop is being organized by the Southeastern Ontario Palliative & End-of-Life Care Network Conference. Unfortunately, I will be away in Winnipeg and will be unable to attend but if you are near Kingston, I urge you to consider attending.

Title: "The Threads that Bind"
Thursday, May 7, 2009: Plenaries & workshops featuring Bob Heath and David Kuhl
Friday, May 8, 2009: Sustaining Health Care Providers in the Workplace with David Kuhl & Hilary Pearson
Days Inn Kingston Hotel & Convention Centre

For more information contact Maggie George 613-544-8200 ext 4301

If you were hoping to attend, consider registering for the next session, November 24 and 25, 2009. For more information: www.compassionfatigue.ca

Please note that there are still spots for managers to attend the May 4-5th workshop with Dr Pat Fisher:

Are you a Manager in a High Stress Organization?
Come and learn how to handle difficult situations with your staff with one of the leaders in the field of Workplace Trauma and Organizational Health.

THE CRITICAL ROLE OF LEADERSHIP IN ORGANIZATIONAL HEALTH:
An Applied Manager Training Program

with Dr Pat Fisher, Ph.D., R.Psych., L.Psych.
Organizational Health and Employee Wellness specialist

May 4th-5th, 2009
Donald Gordon Centre, Kingston, On.

For more info: www.compassionfatigue.ca

In this workshop, participants are introduced to the principles and methods of James Flaherty's New Ventures West successful approach to coaching and to human development (see www.newventureswest.com). The program allows for coaching experience that is applicable to the participants' work place or current coaching practive, and their broader lives. Through structured exercises, demonstrations and simulations, we will explore together what it takes to evoke long-term excellence in others.

Who would benefit from this course?

This course is designed for:
-Anyone intrigued by the possibility of having a positive impact on others through coaching;
-Managers, Human Resource professionals and Organizational Development practitioners who are regularly called upon to solve problems that could be more effectively handled by developing others' competence;
-Independent professionals, consultants and coaches interested in bringing greater skill to their one-on-one conversations with clients;
-Therapists and social workers interested in building coaching competence;
-People considering applying for the Professional Coaching Course.

For more information contact Hélène Beauchemin at belaylen@hotmail.com or Barbara Best at barbara@virtualworks.ca
Phone: 613-236-4847.

This is a photo of two of my nieces rolling in the snow. One of them is 17 years old and still enjoys making snow angels. When was the last time you rolled in the snow? (on purpose, I mean, not wiping out in front of your driveway, as I will likely do this morning as we have received a large amount of snow and ice during the night)

I hope you had a chance to take some time off during the holidays. I was very fortunate in being able to take two full weeks off and I spent them eating (many times per day!), catching up on my sleep and connecting with friends and family. It was a welcome break after such a hectic Fall. I am now fully rested and looking forward to the next chapter in this journey.

News for the start of January 2009

Compassion Fatigue Train the Trainer:
If you are considering attending the March Train the Trainer workshop in Kingston, I encourage you not to delay in registering to avoid disappointment as the workshop is limited to 20 participants. For more information visit the link at www.compassionfatigue.ca

Compassion Fatigue Solutions Bookstore
I am putting the finishing touches on the Compassion Fatigue Solutions Bookstore, where you will be able to purchase workbooks and training materials in the months to come. This site should be going live in a week or so. I will send an announcement when it is ready. At first, there will only be a few products available on the bookstore, but I hope to build on that in the future, to provide more distance learning materials for those of you who are looking for more training opportunities.

Compassion Fatigue News Group
Charles Figley has updated his CF news group and has moved it to a much more user friendly site on Google. Consider joining this community of helpers interested in CF-related topics. To find out more cut and paste this link in your browser: http://groups.google.com/group/compassionfatigue/web/google-alerts-about-compassion-fatigue

I will be posting again in the coming days with more news and views. Here is wishing you a healthy and balanced 2009.

Here is a brief update on what has been happening in the compassion fatigue solutions world:

I have been travelling nearly every week so far this Fall. I was in Montreal last week presenting at a rehabilitation hospital, this week I am off to Timmins in Northern Ontario, then Oshawa and Edmonton. Clients have been from the fields of healthcare, addictions, corrections and social services. It has been very interesting to meet helpers from such diverse fields and hear about their specific challenges given the work that they do and the clients they work with. I was also interviewed for my favourite radio show "White Coat, Black Art". Working with the media is always nerve-wracking as you speak for 45 minutes and they then reduce it to 8 minutes. I just hope they can respect the spirit of the message I was trying to convey. This show will apparently air in November, I will keep you posted if you are curious to hear it.

I am working on several things right now: starting interviews for the book, proofreading the compassion fatigue manuals that will be available for purchase in the coming weeks, and finalising details of upcoming training, more on this below.

Train the Trainer

I am very pleased to announce that the two day Train the Trainer workshop will be offered again in March and June, in Kingston, On. I will be sending a formal annoucement in the coming weeks. I already have 35 people on the waiting list so if you want to take this training, I encourage you to enroll as soon as you can to avoid disappointment.

The Manager's Guide to Stress, Burnout & Trauma in the Workplace, Kingston, May 2009 with Dr Pat Fisher

I have been wanting to offer a workshop to managers for a very long time. The Manager’s Guide to Stress, Burnout & Trauma in the Workplace Program has been specifically designed to assist managers as they address the problem in their workplaces and its impact on the staff they lead.

Patricia Fisher, Ph.D., R.Psych., L.Psych.
President & CEO.

Dr. Patricia Fisher is a clinical and consulting psychologist who has specialized in the field of workplace traumatic and systemic stress over the past 20 years. She has authored 6 texts and numbers of research papers on the subject, and is a frequent presenter at international conferences and professional meetings. Active as a clinician, researcher, and consultant, her work also includes program design and evaluation, curriculum development and training, policy development and organizational planning. Dr. Fisher’s work has focused on the needs of public service personnel in high risk areas such as human and social services, law enforcement, corrections, emergency services, and health care. More recently, the scope of application has increased to include a wide range of high stress private and public sector workplaces. Dr. Fisher has led the expansion of Fisher & Associates into the United States and currently resides in New York, while making periodic visits back to Canada

Stay tuned for dates and registration forms. To receive advance notification, please join our mailing list.

Betting on Mental Health for Seniors
Making Connections between Gambling and Mental Health. What are the odds?

Date: Tuesday November 25th, 2008
Where: The Canadian Mental Health Association – Kingston Branch, 6 Ordnance Street, Kingston, ON
Time: 8:30 – 4:00
Cost: $25.00 Includes snacks, lunch and A Problem Gambling Prevention Clinical Manual for Service Providers with handouts

A Collaborative Partnership Between The Canadian Mental Health Association Kingston Branch:Brenda Miller and Options for Change:Chris Myers

To Register: Call Brenda: 613-549-7027

The Fall training is starting in earnest this week, with a presentation in Hamilton at a Trauma conference and a one day Train the Trainer workshop in London. I have spent a great deal of time writing the Train the Trainer manual, so sadly I am all worded out for what is normally a favourite activity of mine - the weekly blog. I am also busy putting the finishing touch on the Walking the Walk workbook which will soon be available to purchase online and by regular post. This workbook will lead readers through the full Walking the Walk: Creative Tools for Transforming Compassion Fatigue one day workshop. It was designed for distance learners and those who enjoy learning at their own pace. The workbook offers a comprehensive description of compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization and leads the reader through many experiential activities designed to target specific areas in their personal and professional lives. It offers concrete strategies to making a real change in your life as a helping professional.

If this is of interest to you, please visit this space in a few weeks to receive notification of the workbook launch.

Things are heating up around here. I have been very busy putting the final touches to the One and Two day train the trainer workshops scheduled for September and November and I am trying to find a superlative that adequately conveys the excitement I feel at finally getting a training workbook completed after all this time and simply at having had enough uninterrupted time to just write and think.

For participants planning to attend a train the trainer session in the Fall: I have created a new web page (a Train the Trainer site) which can be found at cftrainers.blogspot.com

For now it's all going to be deposited there, but I may reorganise it all later so it makes more sense. Just bear with me, if you please.

If you are coming to a training session with me this Fall, I invite you to go have a look and subscribe to receive updates.

Compassion Fatigue Train the Trainer Workshops:
2 courses being offered in the Fall


The One Day Course
London, On. September 17th, 2008
(Sponsored by Solutions on Site)


The Two Day Intensive Retreat
Kingston, On. November 13-14th, 2008
See below for more information

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These Train the Trainer Workshops are designed to take you deep first, to gain a thorough understanding of your own relationship to CF, then go into the didactic details (what to teach, how to teach) and finally talk about the mechanics of the whole process (how to customize this for your own work needs/goals etc.).

If you wish to begin exploring the process of becoming a trainer and are looking for some tools to get started, the One day Course is a good start. If you are ready to become a Trainer, the Two day Course is best.

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Compassion Fatigue Train the Trainer:
The One Day Course
Wednesday September 17th, 2008
Women's Community House, 450 Clarke Rd, London, On.
9:00 am-3:30 p.m.

Prerequisite: Participants must have completed prior training in Compassion Fatigue and/or Vicarious Trauma, ideally a minimum of one day CF training in the past and have a good working knowledge of the basic concepts related to compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma.

Develop the skills and knowledge base to deliver a highly creative and practical Compassion Fatigue workshop in your agency or community. You will receive a training manual and the option for further coaching as you take the first steps to becoming a CF trainer.

Upon completing this course, you will have materials and resources to begin the process of designing your own training program. You may want further coaching/training from WHP as you hone your skills.

To register: contact Solutions On Site
Tel: 519-640-2030
Web: www.SOSworkshops.ca

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Compassion Fatigue Train the Trainer Workshop
Two Day Intensive Retreat
Nov. 13-14th 2008

**Only 5 spaces left**

Great food, beautiful location. A nice starting point for a two day intensive retreat to become (or hone) your skills as a compassion fatigue trainer.

Registration Form can be downloaded from from WHP's website.

Workshop Size: Spaces is limited to a maximum of 20 participants (only 5 spaces left as of June 10th.)

Cost: $435 plus $45 for materials which includes training manuals, handout templates and power point on CD.
Total cost: $480.00 CAN incl gst.

To Register: Send a cheque, payable to WHP, in the amount of $100.00 to 837 Princess Street, Suite 300, Kingston, On. K7L 1G8 **balance of payment ($380.00) must be paid by October 1st to secure your enrollment. Please note that the $100.00 is not refundable. Cancellation policy is on our website.

Certificates of completion will be provided.

Prerequisites: This workshop is aimed at helping professionals and educators in the helping fields. No prior Compassion Fatigue training required but a basic working knowledge of the topic would be best (by reading some of the titles listed below ahead of time).

Workshop Description: Some past participants of our one day Compassion Fatigue workshop (Walking the Walk) expressed an interest in receiving help in designing a workshop to bring back to their communities and developing skills and knowledge base to deliver compassion fatigue workshops themselves. This train the trainer workshop offers tools, handouts, strategies, training material and marketing strategies to adapt Walking the Walk to your community's specific needs (and to your own presentation style). You do not need to have attended WtheW in the past to benefit from this training.

Because of the small size of the group, we will customize certain aspects of the training to your specific needs. A questionnaire will be sent ahead of time to establish your needs/goals and objectives and aim to fulfill as many of these as possible.

For more details and outline: www.compassionfatigue.ca or email WHP@cogeco.ca