Managing Vicarious Trauma (secondary traumatic stress) in Disability

Managing Vicarious Trauma in Disability

Course Overview

This course provides a vital psychological framework for professionals working within the disability sector to protect their long-term mental wellbeing. It focuses on the customization of self-care and professional boundaries, acknowledging that support workers often witness or hear about the trauma, pain, and systemic barriers faced by those they support.

Aligned with workplace health and safety (WHS) standards for psychosocial hazards, this training equips staff with the skills to differentiate between standard burnout and the deeper “transformation of the self” that characterizes vicarious trauma. Participants will learn how to build professional resilience while maintaining the empathy necessary for high-quality person-centred support.

What You’ll Learn

• Define Vicarious Trauma (VT) and distinguish it from burnout, compassion fatigue, and secondary traumatic stress.

• Identify the unique risk factors in the disability sector, such as high-intensity behavioral support and long-term advocacy for participant rights.

• Recognize the “Early Warning Signs” of VT across emotional, physical, and cognitive domains (e.g., intrusive thoughts, cynicism, or emotional numbing).

• Implement immediate coping strategies, including grounding techniques, sensory regulation, and “Psychological First Aid.”

• Develop a personalized “Resilience Plan” that integrates professional supervision with personal recovery activities.

• Apply organizational strategies to create a “Trauma-Informed” workplace culture that encourages open dialogue and peer support.

• Master the art of “Professional Detachment”—learning how to remain deeply caring without absorbing the participant’s trauma as your own.

• Navigate the ethical responsibility of “Self-Monitoring” and knowing when to seek clinical intervention or employee assistance programs (EAP).

Designed For

• Disability support workers and psychosocial recovery coaches.

• NDIS team leaders and operations managers.

• Case managers and support coordinators handling complex or high-risk portfolios.

• Behaviour support practitioners and allied health professionals.

• HR professionals and WHS officers focused on staff mental health and retention.