The Cost of Caring: Vicarious Trauma and How to Address It
December 15, 2020
In collaboration with Middlesex District Attorney’s Office, CPCS, Greater Boston Legal Services, and Mass Attorney General’s Office
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As public lawyers face some of the very worst human suffering imaginable. You witness horrific and crisis-driven circumstances day in and day out. No one is immune to the toll this takes on you, as a human being, whether you are a district attorney, bar advocate, legal service attorney, or other public lawyer.
As recognized in the SJC Steering Committee Report on Lawyer Well-Being, secondary trauma or compassion fatigue is among the major challenges affecting the well-being of public lawyers. Whereas psychologists and social workers undergo training as part of their professional education to recognize and address secondary trauma and compassion fatigue, most lawyers do not.
Join other public lawyers and expert Dr. Madelon Baranoski, Professor of Psychiatry, to learn more about secondary trauma, its signs and symptoms, and strategies to address it in practice. Following Dr. Baranoski’s presentation, there will be time for discussion and opportunity to meet and connect with other public lawyers.