Awareness of our Own Reactions and Countertransference when Working with System-Involved Youth and Their Families

Pamela Parkinson, PhD, LCSW

Training Description

Examine the reasons why you chose to work in this field. They can be a “double-edged sword”- by being both the very things that make us excellent at our work and that can also lead to compassion fatigue and vicarious trauma. Explore how our own “stuff” impacts our work with system-involved youth (SIY) and their families and, if you are a supervisor, how to support those you supervise with all of this. Discuss self-disclosure with system-involved youth and families, explore ourselves and countertransference, identify how we know when we are over-involved with those we support, and review ways to address this.

Learning Objectives

• Participants will be able to identify 2 reasons why it is important to separate our own issues (countertransference) from those of the youth and families we support in continuum of care.

• Participants will be able to identify and explain 2 ways…