NEW! V-STEP TRAUMA INTEGRATED ADDICTION, AND COMPASSION FATIGUE PART 4

DATE and TIME:

Friday November 21, 2025 ~ 9:00AM - 12:00PM EST

SUMMARY:

Session 4. Compassion Fatigue and Addiction Treatment Professionals

DESCRIPTION:

Join Dr. Michael Barnes for an insightful presentation on the challenges faced by helping professionals in trauma-informed care. Participants will review the trauma continuum and understand how different types of trauma impact professionals. The session will differentiate between empathy and compassion, highlighting their distinct consequences. Attendees will delve into burnout and secondary trauma as critical components of compassion fatigue, learning to recognize its signs and symptoms. Additionally, the presentation will address the costs and implications of Organizational Trauma within agencies and treatment programs. This comprehensive session aims to equip professionals with the knowledge and strategies to manage compassion fatigue and enhance their resilience in the face of trauma-related challenges.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Participants will review the trauma continuum and how working with diverse types of trauma impact helping professionals.

2. Participants will learn how empathy and compassion are different, with different consequences for helping professionals.

3. Participants will understand and discuss burnout as a critical component of compassion fatigue in helping professionals.

4. Participants will understand and discuss secondary trauma as a critical component of compassion fatigue in helping professionals.

5. Participants will be able to recognize and discuss signs and symptoms of compassion fatigue in helping professionals.

6. Participants will be able to recognize and discuss the costs and implications of Organizational Trauma in agencies and treatment programs.

PRESENTER: Dr. Michael Barnes

Dr. Michael Barnes is a Licensed Addiction Counselor, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Diplomate in the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress. He is the Senior Clinical Advisor for NRT Behavioral Health, Founder/Director of the Michael Barnes Family Institute, and owner of Barnes Education and Consulting, LLC. In the past 40 + years, Dr. Barnes has worked at numerous addiction treatment centers and psychiatric hospitals, and he spent 10 years as a full-time faculty member at various university counselor and marriage and family therapist educator programs. Dr. Barnes speaks nationally on Families, Trauma, and Addiction, Trauma Integrated Addiction Treatment, and Compassion Fatigue. He received his BA in Psychology from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, his M.Ed. in Rehabilitation Counseling from the University of Pittsburgh, and his Ph.D. in Marriage and Family Therapy from Florida State University. He published his first book, “When the Solution Becomes the Problem: Helping Families Who Struggle with Addiction and Trauma” in 2023.

TRAINING CONTACTS:

Anne Milun (Litecky), VASIII, Program Manager, 410-837-5055, alitecky@ubalt.edu; Cherie Peay, Program Coordinator at 443-600-1621, cpeay@ubalt.edu; and Nicole Feldhaus, Technician, 410-274-4655, nfeldhauslitecky@ubalt.edu

Certificate of Training, Social Work CEUs and Academic Credits:

RVAAM selected curriculum has been approved for specific professions (e.g. social work, law enforcement, corrections, probation/parole) Upon completion of an online evaluation form, participants are welcome to request a Certificate of Training; Social Work Category I Continuing Education Units (CEUs), and/or academic credits. All participants are eligible to receive a Certificate of Training (1 credit per training hour).

2025 V-STEP

Regional Victim Services Advanced Trainings are held virtually and in 5 regional locations across Maryland. Please contact Anne Milun, V-STEP Program Manager for information or to schedule a training for your agency or organization.