Non-fatal and fatal overdoses are traumatic events that have been increasing over the past 20 years and disproportionately impacting rural communities in the United States (Winstanley, 2020). The human suffering caused by the opioid epidemic and ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic contribute to increased symptoms of compassion fatigue (burnout and secondary traumatic stress) among treatment and peer recovery support providers (Berry, 2021). These symptoms can impact the physical and mental well-being of providers and diminish the quality of care they deliver. This 2-part webinar series will take a deeper dive into compassion fatigue to focus on grief/loss, collective trauma, peer and professional worker loss; and self care.

Webinar Series Objectives

Participants will:

• Learn the nature, scope of overdose death
• Distinguish the unique sequela of overdose grief and risks for complicated grief
• Learn basic self-care recovery maintenance in the presence of suffering
• Learn team support to address suffering

PRESENTER: Kathie Supiano, PhD, LCSW,FT, FGSA, APHSW-C
Associate Professor, University of Utah College of Nursing, and Director, Caring Connections: A Hope and Comfort in Grief Program, University of Utah College of Nursing.